A MAN has avoided jail after bombarding a 14-year-old girl with messages asking for sex and explicit pictures.

Trent Johnson, from Bishop Auckland, also sent a picture of his penis to the girl, Durham Crown Court heard.

The 21-year-old, who was 19 at the time, pleaded guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual behaviour.

The court heard he had also threatened to kill himself when the girl tried to break off contact.

Jane Waugh, prosecuting, said the messages had been sent via Facebook over about three weeks in November and December 2019, and came to the attention of the police after the girl's mother was contacted by her school raising concerns.

The court heard the police's evidence of the messages took up 370 pages.

The woman confronted Johnson before calling the police.

Ms Waugh said: "There are too many sexual messages to repeat. He was apparently obsessed with her and manipulative of her."

Ian West, mitigating for Johnson, said: "He is chronologically 21 years of age but his maturity is a great deal less than that. The age disparity was 19 to 14. Five years is on the low end of disparity."

He added: "He is a young man who has been bullied all his life. He spends his time in his bedroom at his parent's house, where he still lives.

"He has never had a proper job. He has been bullied out of all the jobs and education he has been in and he finds solace in the internet."

Judge Ray Singh gave Johnson, of South View, a two year suspended sentence. He must also do 40 sessions of a programme, complete 20 rehabilitation days and will be made the subject of a restraining order and sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years.

Describing his behaviour as "wholly inappropriate", Mr Singh said: "You also used emotional blackmail.

"When she wanted to end it you indicated you would commit suicide. That was playing with her, playing with her brain and her thoughts.

"That was the reason she continued talking because she didn't want to be held responsible if you did do something like that.

"It's appalling, appalling behaviour."

Describing the age difference as "significant", he added: "Five years might not seem a great deal but you were 19 and she was 14 – that is not close in age or maturity. Someone who is 19 is an adult and someone who is 14 is a child."

He said: "These are extremely serious offences. If it were not for the pandemic and your personal mitigation that there is a real possibility you can be rehabilitated, you would be in custody."