Butlin’s lifeguard who tried to have sex with a 13-year-old boy has been spared jail
Alex Hill, 19, begged youngster for naked pictures and arranged to meet at a train station so they could have sex
A BUTLIN'S lifeguard who groomed a 13-year-old boy over Facebook and told him he was "going to have sex with him for hours" has been spared jail.
Alex Hill, 19, begged the youngster to send him naked selfies and arranged for them to meet at a train station so they could have sex.
The pervert was a lifeguard at Butlin's in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, working in the resort's Splash Waterworld, a popular attraction at the site with rides, water flumes and a heated pool.
He was sacked after he was arrested for child sex offences and was made to clear his locker in front of colleagues, Portsmouth crown court heard.
Hill, of Worthing, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to a string of charges including possessing indecent images of children, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act and attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 following sexual grooming.
Prosecutor Robin Shellard said the victim's mother discovered Hill was grooming her son when she opened his Facebook messages.
Mr Shellard said: "Hill sent pictures of him with his penis out to the young boy. Hill wanted the boy to send him pictures of himself for sexual gratification.
"The young child said to Hill 'just make use of porn', and Hill said 'I would rather make use of you.'
"Arrangements were made to meet at Barnham Rail Station to have sex. At the last minute the boy thought better of it and did not go.
"Because of this there was no meeting, it is not known if Hill went there.
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"Two phones were seized and messages revealed Hill was aware the boy was 13 and was even aware he could go to prison.
"In one message he told the boy 'you're so gorgeous' and 'I know somewhere quiet we can go.'
"He even told the boy that he would have sex with him for hours."
Alexandra Scott, mitigating, said: "Mr Hill was struggling to get to grips with being bisexual and found this young boy online who was going through something similar.
"When he was arrested and police told him he was going to be searched, he phoned his mum and had to tell her he was bisexual and confess he had been grooming an underage boy.
"He lost his job at Butlin's and now doesn't volunteer at a comic book store anymore."
Long-haired Hill was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years. He will have to sign the sex offenders' register for ten years.
Judge Ian Pearson told him: "It would seem that you are a somewhat immature young man.
"You describe having a difficult time with being bisexual but you groomed a boy was you knew was 13.
"You groomed him and sent him explicit images and sought to meet him for sex.
"You knew full well that he was age 13. On the other hand you have sought help for your problems and I understand coming out as bisexual is not easy in today's society.
"You have been very fortunate not to get a custodial sentence."
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