13-year-old girl sexually harassed via Snapchat by man in position of trust leading to suspended sentence and restraining order
Summary
A 20-year-old man, Robert Vardon, sent a sexually explicit image of himself to a 13-year-old girl via Snapchat in 2021. Vardon, who was in a position of trust with the victim, admitted to sending a picture of his erect penis during an explicit conversation. The victim informed police after the conversation became sexually explicit, and she also sent Vardon an image of herself in her underwear. Vardon pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child but was acquitted of the more serious charge of sexual activity with a child. The court heard the incident affected the victim’s confidence and relationships, and she expressed fear of encountering Vardon again. Vardon was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, and several other conditions including a five-year restraining order and sexual harm prevention order.
Incident Details
Harms involving the exploitation, abuse, or endangerment of minors, including CSAM and grooming.
Child sexual abuse material — the creation, distribution, or possession of such content.
Online contact by adults seeking to build trust with minors for exploitation.
Sources
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