Man sentenced after grooming Bourne teenager on Facebook

Sean Fallon, 21, was caught after the teenager’s mother became suspicious and installed spy monitoring software which could access her daughter’s Facebook page.

On Tuesday Lincoln Crown Court heard the girl lived in Bourne, 50 miles from Fallon’s home in Northampton, when they began talking to each other over the internet in spring 2013.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, prosecuting, said the girl’s mother discovered she had been having inappropriate contact with somebody calling themselves Sean “cheeky” Fallon when she installed the spy monitoring software in June 2013.

“It was plain the activity involved sexualised conversations and the sending of photographs,” Mr Cranmer-Brown told the court.

Fallon asked about the girl’s breasts and tried to persuade her to send him photographs. “She was reluctant and refused on a number of occasions,” Mr Cranmer-Brown added.

The girl eventually sent Fallon three photographs after he sent her a naked picture of himself. Fallon also persuaded the girl to perform a sexual act on herself.

Robert Underwood, mitigating, told the court Fallon was an “immature” 19-year-old at the time of the offences and had not been in trouble before.

“He was unemployed and often sat alone and isolated,” Mr Underwood said. “He has come to court terrified of losing his liberty.”

Fallon, of Stockmead Road, Northampton, admitted two charges of intentionally inciting a child in to sexual activity and take pornographic pictures.

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, and placed under supervision for two years. He was also made the subject of Sexual Offences Prevention Order which will last for five years and must register as a sex offender.

Passing sentence Recorder Nicholas Syfret QC told Fallon: “I don’t want you in any doubt about the seriousness of what you have done. You have shown a lack of understanding on the impact of your behaviour.”

He added: “Thirteen-year-olds have to be protected from everybody, and have to be protected from 19-year-olds.”