A GIRL was threatened with gang rape if she did not send more pictures of herself to an online “friend”, a court heard.

The threat was made by Jordan Knight, then aged 20, in a social media “chat” with the 13-year-old girl, in Wales, after she sent him five images of herself naked from the neck down, in response to his earlier request.

Durham Crown Court heard she was one of two girls with whom Knight engaged in sexualised chat within a few months, last year, both having made it clear they were only aged 13.

Knight, now 21, of Stavordale Street, Seaham, admitted two counts of causing or inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity and one of distributing indecent images of a child.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said Knight sent a series of initially innocuous messages to one of the girls, in March last year, but they became gradually more inappropriate, including one of his naked genital area.

Mr Walker said she was “shocked”, as she had never asked him to send such an image, and “embarrassed”, as she was on a bus at the time and was worried other passengers sitting nearby might think she was engaging in mutual “sexting”.

She warned her associates, who were also social media friends, to beware communicating with Knight.

When she questioned Knight why he sent her the image he began to ask her where she lived and she became worried he would track her down.

Mr Walker said her sister and a friend sent him messages trying to discourage him from sending further messages to the girl.

When police later looked into his online activities they discovered the explicit nature of some of his chat room messages, even offering the girl a “reward” of £20 if she would do what he asked her to do, but she refused.

Mr Walker said the second girl, who complied with his wish to send him naked pictures of herself, received a more sinister follow up message, asking for further images of herself.

He told the girl if she did not comply he and his friends would “come down” and gang rape her.

Judge Christopher Prince said he was concerned about the nature of the messages and asked Mr Walker for a fuller “chronology”.

He adjourned sentence until Friday, when he will also be given a mental health report on the defendant.

But he remanded Knight in custody in the meantime as he added: “As far as I can see, there is going to be a custodial outcome.”