A 65-year-old man from Boroughbridge messaged a person he believed to be a young girl telling her to masturbate, Harrogate Magistrates Court heard yesterday (August 28).

Paul Brook, of Mill Lane, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity (no penetration).

The offences took place between November 2023 and February 2024.

Alison Whiteley, prosecuting, told the court online chats between Brook and the ‘girl’ started on the social networking service Hi5, but quickly moved to WhatsApp.

Brook did not realise he was actually messaging a decoy account posing as a teenage girl. 

Despite the account telling him he was speaking to a 13-year-old girl, the conversation turned sexual.

Brook sent messages about “kissing with tongues”, the court heard, and told 'her': “I am horny for you”.

Still thinking he was messaging a girl, Brook said he was thinking about her performing oral sex on him, and asked if she was sexually aroused. He also told her to touch herself intimately, Ms Whiteley added.

Brook was arrested and when interviewed by police told officers he had “forgotten how old she was”. He also said he “does not like women his own age".

When police asked why he had requested sexual photos and videos, he said he had been “joking around”. “It was banter”, he said.

Mr Wilkinson, defending, asked magistrates to adjourn the case for a pre-sentence report.

He said Brook had entered an early guilty plea and had no previous convictions. 

The case was transferred to York Crown Court, where Brook will appear for sentence on September 16.

Brook was automatically added to the sex offenders' register.