May 2022

Thornbury man paid child for intimate photos online

A Thornbury man paid a 13-year-old girl for revealing photos.

Spencer Lever made it look like payments to her were for a a paper round and urged the child to keep their online conversations secret, a court heard

Lever, 21, of Sibland Way, pleaded guilty to two charges of engaging in sexual communication with a child. He appeared for sentence at Bristol Crown Court today. (March 8, 2022)

The recorder Miss Joanna Martin QC imposed a three-year community order with a sex offender programme, rehabilitation, 100 hours’ unpaid work and a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

She told Lever: “Young girls have to be protected from predatory men. The impact on a young girl can be devastating and life-changing.”

Joseph Broadway, prosecuting, said the victim’s parents received a tip-off via one of her friends that she was sending a man photos of herself online.

The victim confirmed that was the case and said Lever had sent her an intimate photo of himself.

The girl told police Lever had told her she looked pretty and asked if they could “secretly be a couple” but she declined.

She said how she received 50 messages from Lever, who was “pushy and naggy” for nude photos of her.

She said she declined at first but then sent three photos to him for £20 each, supposedly for a paper round.

The victim said Lever sent her photos in which he was naked from the waist down, but said she sent him photos in which she was never completely nude but often in her underwear.

She added that when Lever asked her if she would have sex with him and she declined.

Lever conceded to police he thought the girl was aged under 16. He accepted he asked for photos of her and she sent him some