A RESOURCEFUL mother intercepted a Facebook message to her 14-year-old daughter from a man, aged almost 20 at the time, a court heard.

But she replied, pretending to be her daughter, which led to a short series of follow-up messages with the unwitting Alex Carmichael Wright.

Durham Crown Court heard he asked her if she would be out that evening, to which she replied she thought she would be, but then said she could not speak any more as she was at school.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said Wright then made an offer of £40 if she would perform oral sex on him, adding: “That’s a bargain.”

The girl’s mother replied: “I might not come that cheap,” before contacting the police to report the messages.

It brought about the arrest of Wright, who denied committing any offence, saying he did not know the girl and had no dealings with her.

But, by the time of the first hearing in the case at the crown court, on October 6, the now 21-year-old, formerly of North Road West, Wingate, admitted a single count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

Th court heard he has a “significant” offending history over the last three years and since the commission of this offence, on July 1, last year, Wright has been sentenced at Teesside Crown Court to 36 months in a young offenders’ institution, for two counts of affray, plus possession of an offensive weapon.

He appeared at the latest sentencing hearing via video link from HMP Doncaster.

Martin Scarborough, in mitigation, said Wright had the two matters running at separate courts for some time and spent 150 days on remand.

Mr Scarborough said his earliest release date for the Teesside matters is on March 5, next year.

Judge James Adkin said it was “an unusual case of its kind” as it appears that the girl who was the intended target of the messages and the indecent request, may never have been aware of them due to the quick-thinking of her mother.

“Unknown to him, the mother took over the chain of messages, and, should I say, with some panache.”

Judge Adkin, therefore passed a consecutive sentence to Wright’s existing custodial term, which will extend it by three months from the release date in March next year.

Wright was also made subject of registration as a sex offender for seven years.