Vile Whatsapp messages rugby player, 24, ‘sent to girl, 13, before trying to meet for sex at hotel’ as he’s spared jail
A RUGBY player was snared by paedophile hunters when he turned up at a hotel to meet a 13-year-old stranger he had chatted to about sex.
Joe Snowdon thought he had been talking to a schoolgirl called Amanda and told her: "I want to more than kiss" after meeting her on adult social networking Skout.
But Newcastle Crown Court heard the 24-year-old had been duped by Dark Justice - an online group that trawls the internet looking for men who want sex with children - and won't go to jail.
The police had already been alerted when Snowdon pulled up in the car park at the West Parade Hotel in Newcastle to meet the youngster and he was arrested by officers.
He has now been suspended from his rugby club, where he played for"countless years" and has lost two the chance of two jobs when potential employers found out.
Snowdon, of Park Terrace, Swalwell, Gateshead, said his online converstations were "all fantasy" but later admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
Prosecutor Rachel Masters told the court the online conversations all took place in one day, on December 3 last year between Snowdon and a fake profile on Skout, that had been set up by members of Dark Justice.
Miss Masters said the chat was initially "friendly", even after it was revealed that "Amanda" was 13, not over 18 as it stated on her profile.
The court heard mobile telephone numbers were exchanged so that the conversation could continue on Whatsapp, where Snowdon told the non-existent teen "you're cute".
Miss Masters added: "At his point, the defendant's conversation started to turn to a sexual nature.
"He said 'would you like to kiss me' and the messages got more explicit, such as 'I want to take your V' and making suggestions of meeting up".
The court heard within hours a meeting was arranged and Snowdon was arrested when he turned up to it.
Before he set off, Snowdon had sent a message saying he was nervous and that he was "taking a big risk to meet up".
Judge Sarah Mallett told him: "You knew in your heart of hearts you ought to have stopped it even then, but you didn't.
"You were arrested at the meeting place."
The judge said she accepted Snowdon was "appalled and disgusted" by his own behaviour and that he is susceptible to intervention which would be in the interests of himself and the public in future.
Judge Mallett sentenced Snowdon to a community order for three years and said he must sign the sex offenders register for seven years.
Jamie Adams, defending, said the case has had a "salutary" effect on Snowdonm who has never been in trouble before, and added: "There is no way he is going to be bringing this kind of experience into his life, or someone else's life again.
"He has learned his lesson.
"He has been suspended from the rugby club where he has been for countless years.
"He has also lost two prospective jobs.
"He is a good person."
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