A pervert who groomed “a 13-year-old girl” and arranged to meet her for sex was caught in a police sting operation, a court heard.
For unwittingly Nikolas Buchholz had actually been communicating on line with an under-cover police officer, who had set up a false profile of the young schoolgirl.
The 37-year-old Warrington man appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today (Thur) after admitting a string of offences on the day his trial was due to start.
Jailing the car worker for 43 months Judge David Aubrey, KC said that he had travelled from his home to Fallowfield in Manchester to meet the fictitious girl.
“Sexual activity with her was clearly intended and but for the fact you had been communicating with an undercover police officer such activity would have taken place,” he said.
Buchholz, of Ripley Street, Warrington, had admitted five offences involving attempted sexual communication, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch him engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child to engage in sexual activity.
Judge Aubrey said that the offences spanned a protracted period, between April 19 and May 10, 2021. The defendant began by communicating on KIK messenger with whom he believed was a 13-year-old schoolgirl.
He asked if she had ever had sex and when she said ‘no’ he said he would teach her. “You were grooming her, or so you thought. Messages continued, extremely sexualised, leading to you suggesting that you could exchange photographs.”
Buchholz sent her an explicit photograph and asked her to send him a photo of herself. He also sent another photo and told her it was their “secret and game.”
“The messages contained over a protracted period of time during which you encouraged her to take her school uniform off,” Judge Aubrey told him.
“Such was your perversion it was not to be limited to chat because you suggested you meet in a quiet place so you could perform sexual acts on her and she on you.
“The fact she was 13, or so you believed, did not deter you, it encouraged you, such was your perversion.
“Ultimately it was arranged that you would meet her at a McDonald’s in South Manchester. You travelled intending to carry out sexual acts on a 13-year-old school girl but you were arrested.”
The judge pointed out that Buchholz was a married man with a 13-year-old son and was in employment. His wife was continuing to support him but he would now lose his job and no longer be able to support his family.
Judge Aubrey ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life and imposed a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Matt Lawson, defending, had told the court that Buchholz` was remorseful and recognised his wrong doing.
