[Glenn.]

A paedophile was caught after he reported his own concerns about a 14-year-old girl being abused.

Daniel Robson, 46, contacted officers to say he believed an American teenager he was talking with online was being molested by relatives, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

Officers quickly realised Robson himself had been sending the girl sexual messages, while a search of his phone revealed a stash of images of girls as young as five being raped and "disturbing" conversations he had with other child abusers.

Robson, from Newcastle, was jailed for two years suspended for two years after admitting online child sex offences.

Judge Carolyn Scott said it was "unusual" how Robson's offending came to light.

She said Robson phoned police on 24 January 2024 to say he had been talking online to a girl in the USA and was worried about her.
Robson was "concerned" as the 14-year-old had told him about alleged sexual offences carried out against her by family members, the judge said.

But after looking at the conversation on his phone, it was immediately apparent Robson had also been sending the girl sexual messages, the court heard.

Officers also found 124 indecent images of children, including 84 in the most serious category.

They also found "disturbing discussions" Robson had been having on Kik with other paedophiles in which he shared indecent images and talked about what he wanted to do a child, Judge Scott said.
The judge said ordinarily such offences would "inevitably" lead to immediate imprisonment, but Robson had been having a mental health crisis at the time and had since sought help to address his behaviour.

He had been assessed by probation officers as having a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation in the community," the judge said.
Robson was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, attend sessions with probation officers, comply with a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.