A HEREFORD shop worker left the dock smiling after he avoided jail for sending explicit pictures to a person he thought was a child.

Hereford Crown Court heard that Carl Higgins, 28, had pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Prosecution barrister Siobhan Collins said Higgins had sent indecent pictures to a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on instant messaging app Kik.

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The decoy had made the young age clear to Higgins and the fact they did not want to see explicit photos.

It was in July 2020 when Higgins, of Widemarsh Street, Hereford, began to talk with the police officer posing as the teenager, lying about his age and location.

But even when the girl told him she wanted to stop talking, he kept the conversation going.

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In October 2022, police arrested Higgins at his home and seized a number of devices, which the court ordered to be destroyed.

Ms Collins said there were inaccessible indecent pictures of children on those devices.

Defence barrister Niall Skinner said that the offences was some two-and-a-half years ago and it was “hopefully lesson learned and a chapter closed”.

He said Higgins was currently working in Sainsbury’s, but it “remained to be seen” if he kept his job after being sentenced.

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Recorder Eugene Egan sentenced Higgins to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months as there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and strong personal mitigation.

After being told he wasn’t being sent to prison immediately, Higgins smiled as he was released from the dock by officers.

He must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years, sign the sex offenders register for the same length of time, pay a surcharge and £300 court costs.