A 24-YEAR-OLD Worcester man who sent a 14-year-old girl a photo of his genitals has been spared jail.

Luke Price admitted one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court earlier this month.

However, he was spared a prison sentence and given a high end community order by Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC when he appeared at Hereford Crown Court on Tuesday.

Price of Canterbury Road, Ronkswood, Worcester, committed the offence between February 14 and March 6 last year.

The court heard that Price was initially arrested on suspicion of meeting a child with the intention of sexual activity, having met her on two occasions.

When asked by the judge if there had been any physical contact between the two, Caroline Harris, prosecuting, said: “There’s no suggestion of kissing or anything of that nature from the complainant.”

Miss Harris said the defendant sent a single image of his penis after ‘quasi-romantic messages’ were sent. The complainant’s father had attempted to intervene.

“That doesn’t dissuade the defendant from contact nor the complainant,” she said.

She argued that aggravating features were the disparity in age (the defendant was 22 and the complainant 14 at the time of the offence) and grooming behaviour.

The offence was categorised as level 3A within the sentencing guidelines which has a starting point of 26 weeks in custody and a range available to the sentencing judge of a high level community order to up to three years in custody.

Richard Hull, defending Price, said: “I would accept there’s a disparity in age that isn’t insignificant.”

Mr Hull said his client was now in an age appropriate relationship with a 29-year-old woman with no children, that he was in full-time employment and of previous good character, arguing that the many positives in his life suggested ‘this was an aberration by him’.

Speaking at the earlier hearing in Worcester, Judge Nicholas Cole said the guidelines did note that, where there’s sufficient prospect of rehabilitation, a community order with a sexual offending treatment programme could be imposed as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

Judge Pearce-Higgins sentenced Price to a 36 month community order to include an accredited programme to address his offending and ordered him to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He must sign the sex offender register for five years, made subject to a restraining order for five years and a sexual harm prevention order for five years.

Price must also pay a victim surcharge of £85 and £535 costs.