June 2022

British Army medic asked 12-year-old girl if he could pay £300 to take her virginity

A British Army medic who asked a “12-year-old girl” to be his “sugar baby” and offered her hundreds of pounds to take her virginity has been jailed for over two years.

Private Peter Harries, 28, believed he was messaging a child called Chloe while using the app Kik, but he was actually talking to two undercover police officers, a military court heard.

The married dad was told the girl was aged 12 and from the UK before he offered to pay her £5 for naked pictures, £10 for a naked video and up to £100 for sex.

But when ‘Chloe’ asked whether it mattered that she had not had sex before, he said he would pay her £300 as it was her first time, Bulford Military Court was told.

Pte Harries, of 1 Medical Regiment, was arrested and upon investigation, indecent images – including one Category A, the highest category – were found on his computer in his living quarters in Tidworth, Wiltshire.

The medic, who has served in the army for almost four years, pleaded guilty to three charges of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one count of making indecent images.

He has now been handed a 30-month sentence – of which half will be served in custody with the remainder on licence – and dismissed from the Army.

The military court heard that shortly after a brief introduction in February 2020, Pte Harries began to ask the fake profile, which did not have an image, for nudes and sex.

Major Jon Griffiths, prosecuting, said: “The online persona says she was 12 and from the UK and he asks ‘would you like to be my sugar baby’. She asks what a sugar baby is.

“He says ‘I pay you, I have sex with you, you send pics and videos’. The girl then replied: ‘Oh wow, you pay me, I don’t get pocket money. Does it matter if I’ve not done sex before?’

“He said ‘I will f*** you even though you have never done anything before’. He said he would pay £5 for three nudes, £10 to £15 for a video and up to £100 for sex.

“But he then said ‘because it’s your first time, I will give you £300’.

“During those conversations, he told her that he was a medic at a hospital from Wiltshire. He asked for her phone number, but she did not give it so he gave a phone number instead.

“The police then tracked it back to him and his parents’ address.”

Following his arrest in March 2020, Pte Harries gave a no comment interview to police before pleading guilty to the four charges.

Pte Harries was also placed under a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

He must notify police of his address and name indefinitely.