A TEENAGER who communicated with two underage girls, intending to meet them for sex, was told he should expect to receive his first custodial sentence, as a result.

Liam Conor McNicholas was told it was only a question of, “how long?” that he will be ordered to serve when his case comes back before Durham Crown Court, next month.

It follows his ‘guilty’ pleas to four charges put to him on the day his trial was due to start, having denied all but one allegation at a plea hearing at the court, in February.

The 19-year-old, of Medomsley Road, Consett, admitted two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

His only previous ‘guilty’ plea was to a charge of making indecent photographs of a child, relating to three images he stored on receipt from one of the two girls.

Matthew Bean, prosecuting, said the pleas were, “acceptable” to the Crown, following consultation with the police officer overseeing the inquiry and the girls, themselves, and their families.

David Callan, for the defendant, asked for sentence to be adjourned to allow for preparation of a Probation Service background report on McNicholas, as he is of previous good character.

Judge Christopher Prince agreed, but told Mr Callan: “It will only be of assistance as to how long that the sentence will be.”

The judge, however, rejected Mr Callan’s request for the defendant’s bail to be extended until the sentencing hearing.

Addressing McNicholas, he said: “You, in a very determined way, targeted two 13-year-old girls you came across online and you used a degree of pressure.

“You put your iPad ready to go if you got the Snapchat pictures you requested and you managed to save them.

“That’s careful pre-planning to obtain an image.

“You had sexual activity with one 13-year-girl and intended to have sexual activity with another, and you have dragged it out, showing no remorse whatsoever.

“You will now be registered as a sex offender and I have no intention of putting people at risk.

“You must clearly understand that the report that’s to be prepared will only assist as to the length of the sentence.

“You should be under no misapprehension that you will be receiving an immediate custodial sentence, let me make that crystal clear.”

McNicholas will remain in custody pending the sentencing hearing, on Friday September 15.