Pervert threatened to take overdose if girl stopped sending naked images

Simon Ezzard used Facebook and the messaging app Kik to contact the 15-year-old.

The 24-year-old, of Pettycot Crescent, Gosport, would send over sexual videos and images of himself exposed, and ask her to do the same.

Summarising what the victim told police, prosecutor Tom Wright said: ‘It was most likely over 100 times she sent things.

‘She felt ugly and was doing this for the attention that Mr Ezzard was paying her.’

He added: ‘There were occasions that she told him to stop and wanted to call a halt to things.

‘He would, on these occasions, send images of paracetamol bottle and refer to having an overdose if she broke off the contact.

‘He continued – that would have put her under pressure.’

In her victim statement the girl, who cannot be identified, said: ‘If he knew where I lived I’d be worried about him finding me and doing the thing we talked about.’

When detectives quizzed Ezzard he claimed he didn’t know the girl’s age – despite her telling him.
Portsmouth Crown Court heard probation assessed Ezzard as being at low risk of re-offending.

He was facing between four and 10 years in prison, the court was told, but the sentencing guidelines allowed for a three-year community order for him to undergo sex offender treatment.

Recorder Anne Arnold imposed this sentence, adding: ‘If you fail to comply with that group work order you will be brought back before the court.

‘You can expect to be re-sentenced and given a term of imprisonment.

‘You can expect sentencing starting around five years.’

Ezzard must sign the sex offenders’ register for five years. The judge imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order for five years, limiting his use of the internet.

His hard drive and mobile phone, which contained the indecent images sent by the girl, will be destroyed.

Stephen Parish, mitigating for Ezzard who has no previous convictions, said: ‘He has displayed significant remorse and that’s not always the case in offences like this.’

Ezzard pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity and three counts of possession of photographs of children.