A MAN said to lead an “isolated” life, mostly confined to his bedroom, made indecent suggestions in online chats with a teenage girl, a court heard.

Robert George Kyle tried to persuade the 13-year-old to strip and expose herself, as well as to touch herself intimately in social media messaging and during a Skype conversation, a court was told.

Kyle also performed a sex act on himself so she could see what he was doing, via web cam, during their online communication, in March 2013.

Durham Crown Court heard that, although tempted, the girl did not follow his instructions and they came to light after her mother checked her Facebook account,weeks later.

Rod Hunt, prosecuting, said the shocked mother described it as, “mind blowing”, having a “massive effect” on the girl and relations with her family.

The mother’s discovery was reported to police, who visited Kyle at his home, in Yoden Road, Peterlee, and removed computer equipment from his bedroom, which was described as, “like a squat, with uneaten food littering the floor”.

Examination of the seized equipment revealed indecent images of children, plus an extreme image of a woman involved in an act of bestiality.

Kyle, now 25, who has no previous convictions, was charged with sexual activity in the presence of a child, three counts of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged under 16 to engage in sexual activity, four offences of making indecent photographs of a child, plus possession of an extreme pornographic image.

Although he initially indicated denials, he pleaded to all nine charges at a hearing last month.

Caroline Goodwin, mitigating, said the defendant has learning difficulties and suffers both a congenital heart disease and agoraphobia, having been largely housebound since he was 18.

“This is, unhappily, a rather sad case, where someone is isolated, and his home has been the internet.”

Judge Tim Gittins said although it crosses the custody threshold, society would be better served by the defendant receiving treatment in the community for his offending.

He imposed a three-year community supervision order, to include sex offender programme work with the public protection unit.

Kyle was also made subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention order, restricting future use of the internet and contact with under-16s.

He must also register as a sex offender for seven years.