Predator who asked girl, 14, for explicit photographs used Justin Bieber reference in online persona

A SEXUAL predator referenced pop star Justin Beiber in a bid to groom young girls online, a court heard.

Prashil Taylor, 25, sent text messages to a 14-year-old girl, asking for her to send him explicit photographs of herself after first contacting her on social media.

Bolton Crown Court heard that Taylor had lied about his name, age and ethnicity in his contact with the girl, which started in 2011 and continued up until his arrest in 2014.

Taylor, of Louvaine Avenue, Bolton, previously pleaded guilty to inciting a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity — an offence he already has an identical conviction for and for which hwe has received a three-year community order.

Prosecuting, Andrew Evans explained: "He was using a name that referred to Justin Bieber on social media, she thought this was a deliberate attempt to try and speak to young girls.

"The whole experience made her feel worried and dirty, it has caused a tremendous amount of upset and she had to delete her entire online persona, this for a girl of her age has been a considerable problem for her."

The court was told how the contact between Taylor and the girl — who lives in the south of England — began in 2011 and continued intermittently across several social media sites up until 2014, when she contacted the police.

She had initially told him she was 16, but after admitting she was just 14, he continued to message her and ask for the explicit photographs.

After learning of his true identity, she had repeatedly told him to stop contacting her and blocked him on social media accounts — but he regularly found new ways to find her online.

In the most recent attempt at contact, in November, 2014 he had messaged the young girl on Skype and told her he knew what school she attended.

Mr Evans said: "She said she was terrified and was worried he would turn up at her school with a van to snatch her."

Sentencing Taylor to 20 months in jail, suspended for two years, recorder Richard Gioserano said he had avoided an immediate custodial sentence because the offence had taken place several years ago and because he was making "good progress" with a sexual offences order, handed to him after his other conviction for the same offence.

He said: "You have complied with that order and have made good progress to understand that this sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable, you will continue with that work."

Taylor was also ordered to sign the sex offender register for the next 10 years.

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