Update: Griffiths was sentenced to a three year community order.

He must complete a sex offenders group work programme and 120 hours of unpaid work and was give a sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register.

August 2020

North Shields pervert facing jail after sending ’14-year-old’ girl sleazy social media messages

A pervert is facing jail after telling what he thought was a 14-year-old girl that he would “ride her” during a series of sleazy social media messages.

Ryan Griffiths believed he was talking to the schoolgirl but was actually chatting to a decoy set-up by online paedophile hunters.

A court heard that the 37-year-old initially sent the teen a picture of male genitals but later insisted she hadn’t yet told him her age, despite it being written on her profile.

However, after he was then repeatedly told the girl was just 14, Griffiths sent her a number of messages, with one calling her “sexy” and another saying “I would ride you”.

Those messages were passed on to the police and Griffiths, of Tynemouth Road, North Shields, was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage a child in sexual communication during a hearing at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Prosecutor, Ben Woodward, said the online decoy profile was set-up by Leeds-based  group, Fleetwood Enforcers, and Griffiths sent her a friend request on January 17 this year.

After saying “Hi babe”, Griffiths then sent a picture of male genitals, although he claimed, at that point, not to know her age.

Mr Woodward added: “She said she was 14 and the defendant briefly blocked the account for an hour then unblocked it.

“She told him a further two times she was only 14. The defendant then sent messages saying “sexy xxx” and “sexy, I would ride you”.”

Mr Woodward agreed that Griffiths may not have known the girls age when he sent the explicit picture but added: “It does, however, state her age on her profile.”

Magistrates deemed their powers to finalised the case were insufficient and committed Griffiths to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence.

He was granted unconditional bail to next appear there on September 10.