A man who tried to send sexual messages to a girl he believed was a 14-year-old has been warned he faces jail.
Andrew Lee, 45, denied attempting to arrange a child sex offence and attempting sexual communication with a child, at a plea hearing on May 18, and was due to stand trial next April.
But the case returned to Durham Crown Court for a further plea hearing on Tuesday (September 8), when Lee was re-arraigned on the second charge.
He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child who claimed to be 14, to obtain sexual gratification between January and February last year.
The prosecution indicated it would accept that plea and the other charge would be "left on the file" when the sentencing hearing takes place.
Judge Richard Clews told Lee: “You have now pleaded guilty to the second of those charges but we’ll need a report to be prepared by the Probation Service before the sentencing hearing.
“You need to be warned the likely sentence for an offence of this kind is a custodial sentence.
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“The fact I’ll be granting you bail and asking for a report should be taken as no indication as to the likely sentence.
“All options will be under consideration.”
Lee, of Ninth Street, Blackhall Colliery, was bailed to return for sentencing on October 15.
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