James Webster made a number of sickening remarks to the teenager over a three-week period and talked about his sexual fantasies with her.
Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard how the 59-year-old’s behaviour was eventually brought to the attention of the police and he was subsequently arrested.
A member of the young girl’s family branded the defendant a ‘paedo’ as he left the public gallery at the end of the hearing.
Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said the defendant asked the teenager several times to block him as he knew he was ‘hell-bound’ but continued to send the highly sexual messages.
He said: “In one of the messages he said he should hand myself into the police because he was a pervert.”
The court heard how Webster told the teenager he couldn’t stop thinking about her in her underwear and told her he wanted to have sex with her.
When he was arrested, the data analyst told officers that he knew he shouldn’t have been sending her messages but initially denied his motivation was for his own sexual gratification.
Webster, formerly of Darlington, pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child in March and April last year.
Sophie Johnstone, mitigating, said her client had lost his job of 33-years as a result of his conviction and his marriage had collapsed under the strain.
“This is undoubtedly an unsavoury offence and he accepts that,” she said. “He admitted that his behaviour was wrong in these messages.
“He is completely ashamed of his behaviour and he wishes to apologise for the contents.”
District Judge Steven Hood sentenced Webster to four months in prison suspended for 18-months but warned him would face immediate custody if he re-offended.
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He said: “You told the Probation Service that there was no sexual gratification – I simply do not accept that and neither do the Probation Service.
“You appear to have committed these offences for your own sexual gratification but you were maybe too embarrassed to admit it to the Probation Service.”
Webster was ordered to attend 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was also told he must sign on the sex offenders’ register for seven years and was made subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order as well as pay his victim £150 compensation and pay £239 towards court costs.