William Briers jailed for asking to meet and see naked photos of 14-year-old


AN 19-year-old who asked to meet and see naked photographs of a 14-year-old girl has been jailed.
William Briers, of Capesthorne Road, Orford, was 18 when he started messaging the girl, calling her ‘fit’, despite being fully aware of her age.
Mandy Nepal, prosecuting in Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, said Briers already knew the girl and started a conversation with her on Instagram.
The court heard how he told her: “If you are lucky I might give you a kiss but you can’t say anything.”
They continued to send messages to each other for a total of seven days between May 23 and August 28 last year.
But, when the complainant told him that she did not have a phone of her own, Briers told her to delete the messages and suggested using Snap Chat, an app which deletes messages automatically.
Ms Nepal told the court how he continued to tell her he wanted to see her body and his comments became sexually explicit.
The complainant’s mother found out that her daughter was speaking to Briers and spoke to him on the phone.
Briers told the complainant this and said he had lied to her mum about their messages.
The court heard how he then asked if the girl would perform oral sex on him and he asked to meet up and see naked photographs of her.
The complainant eventually told him that ‘people knew about them’ and she just wanted to be friends, before her step mum reported him to police.
Once arrested, Briers accepted sending the messages and said he believed the girl had a crush on him.
During police interviews he said he told her they couldn’t do anything because of their age, he knew it was wrong and he felt disgusted by the content of the messages.
Julian Farley, representing Briers, said a guilty plea was entered at the first opportunity.
He also stressed that Briers has some degree of learning difficulties and no previous convictions.
Judge Patrick Thompson, sentencing, said: “The concerning thing is that you knew what you were doing and were very anxious about being caught.
“It’s a matter of great concern what would have happened if you would have met her.
“You were only 18 yourself at the time – you weren’t a child but there was a clear lack of maturity.
“I will also take into account the fact that you have displayed appropriate remorse and showed some insight into your behaviour without trying to blame anyone but yourself.”
Briers was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He must also serve a concurrent sentence of nine months for sexual communications with a child.
Briers is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.