A HEREFORDSHIRE man who told a schoolgirl she looked "sexy" in her uniform will be sentenced later this month.

Ryan Preece entered a guilty plea to one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford in March.

Preece, who had been 19 at the time of the offence, had been speaking to the victim, a girl in her early teens, on social media between November 19, 2020, and January 26, 2021, prosecutor Eleanor Peart said.

Hereford Times:

Their conversations were reported after they were discovered by a family member of the victim, who took pictures of them.

It had been sexual, with Preece asking the victim if she was a virgin and about her kinks, and telling her she looked "sexy" in her uniform.

OTHER NEWS:

"He started to clear the messages when her mother found out," Miss Peart said.

In police interview, Preece admitted sending the messages but said it had been a joke and that he did not know it was illegal.

Want to stay up to date with all the latest court and crime news? It's easy, just click here to join our Hereford Times Court and Crime group on Facebook or click here to sign up for our free weekly court and crime email newsletter.

Emma Thorne, for Preece, said that the 21-year-old is a man of previous good character and asked for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out by the probation service.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report to be completed and Preece, of Fairview in Garway, Herefordshire, was released on unconditional bail with a requirement to register with police within three days.

He will appear before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing on March 28.