A man from Thamesmead has been ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work after he was caught trying to send sexual messages to a 13-year-old girl. 

Jack Steadman, 34, appeared at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday (August 14) after he admitted attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. 

In November 2021 Steadman used a chat website to send messages to an undercover officer who was posing as a 13-year-old girl called ‘Alice’, prosecutor Satya Chotalia told the court. 

Steadman identified himself as a 30-year-old medical student and provided his phone number, which police used to track him down. 

He asked ‘Alice’ for a photo of himself and sent a photo of himself flexing his biceps before describing in detail how children should masturbate, the court heard. 

“He told her he knew his way around a girl and the tricks of the trade,” Mr Chotalia explained. 

Steadman was arrested and the device he had used to send the messages was seized. When interviewed he answered no comment to all questions asked. 

Simon Ray, defence counsel for Steadman said his client has ADHD and had been struggling with depression at the time. 

Judge Philip Shorrock said: “You are 34 and have no previous convictions. You also have had difficulties not faced by other defendants in as much as you suffer from ADHD and may very well have been clinically depressed at the time you committed this offence.” 

He sentenced Steadman to a two year community order including 100 hours of unpaid work and completion of the Horizon Programme. 

Steadman will be on the sex offenders’ register for five years but no sexual harm prevention order was made. 

“The ball is in your court, take advantage of what some would say is a sympathetic disposal,” Judge Shorrock said.