He sent a picture pretending to be a teenage boy aged 18, the court heard
Richard Woodall admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child(Image: Humberside Police)
A heavy-drinking internet pervert who was caught exchanging explicit messages and images with a 13-year-old girl later told police: “It doesn’t look too good, does it?” Ex-forklift truck driver Richard Woodall pretended to be a teenage boy during a series of highly sexualised messages with the “amazing” girl but he got a nasty shock when he suddenly discovered that she did not even exist and it was all a trap.
He told the decoy girl that she was “so pretty” and he even wanted to meet up with her in a London park, Hull Crown Court heard. Woodall, 53, of Eastfield Road, Keyingham, Holderness, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child on August 7, 2023.
Gabrielle Wilks, prosecuting, said that the police were alerted by the regional organised crime unit that Woodall had been communicating on Snapchat and Facebook Messenger with a decoy 13-year-old girl between August 7 and November 15, 2023. He pretended to be a boy and he told her: “Hi there. How are you doing? x.”
He claimed that he was from York and he asked for an image of her. She sent an image of her wearing shorts and a T-shirt and he told her: “So pretty. Amazing eyes and so pretty.”
Woodall sent a picture pretending to be a teenage boy aged 18. “The girl had told the defendant on several occasions that she was 13 and he continued to contact her,” said Miss Wilks.
Woodall said that he would love to see more of her and that she was “gorgeous”. The decoy teenager sent him a picture of a young girl in her pyjamas and he told her that she was “pretty” and sent her a picture of a young boy.
He told the girl that he had just taken a photograph of himself naked and asked if she would like to see it. He sent an explicit picture and asked for ones of her body and her in the shower.
Woodall also told the girl that she was “hot” and should show him more. “You look amazing,” he said.
He asked for more revealing pictures and told her: “I would love to get my hands on you.” He sent two more explicit pictures and told her: “I’ll do a video.”
Woodall told her that he wished that he was in bed with her. They made arrangements to meet in a park in London but no date was set. He made explicit suggestions and asked her: “Would you be okay with that? Would you be up for sex?”
He suggested that she should wear a “really short skirt” and sexy underwear. He later told her that she was “amazing” and “gorgeous” and he complimented her legs.
“He requested further images,” said Miss Wilks. “She again confirmed that she was 13 years old in those messages.” Woodall was arrested on January 5, 2024.
Woodall told police: “It doesn’t look too good, does it?” He had two previous offences of drink-driving in March 2009 and May 2023.
Billy Torbett, mitigating, said that Woodall pleaded guilty at the very outset. “He does express remorse,” said Mr Torbett. “He is quite simply embarrassed about this offending.
“This sort of offending is out of character for this defendant. He denies having a sexual interest in children. He blames alcohol consumption.
“He knows he has got some changes to make. Alcohol consumption is something he has struggled with since 2013. His alcohol intake his dramatically increased.”
Woodall had previously worked as a forklift truck driver but he was now on benefits. “He has always been hardworking and he is actively looking for work,” said Mr Torbett.
Woodall was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 180 hours’ unpaid work and 15 days’ rehabilitation. He was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and he must register as a sex offender for 10 years. He must pay a £187 victims’ surcharge. The mobile phones that were seized will be forfeited.
To find all the planning applications, traffic diversions, road layout changes, alcohol licence applications and more, visit the Public Notices Portal.