A civilian police employee, Gary Marsden, utilised his work computer to engage in inappropriate online conversations with an individual he presumed to be a 14-year-old girl.
In actuality, Gary Marsden, who additionally supervised a youth football team, was in communication with an undercover police officer.
The father of two refuted the allegation alongside two analogous allegations. On the third day of his trial, the 50-year-old altered his plea to guilty for that offence, resulting in the dismissal of the other two charges.
In February 2023, Liverpool Crown Court was informed that Gary Marsden was engaged as a civilian supervisor in the highway control unit of Cheshire Constabulary’s North West highway Unit at the time of the offence.
Martyn Walsh, representing the prosecution, stated that Gary Marsden “utilised a work computer to access his Twitter account while at work, engaged in conversation with an undercover officer, and captured a photograph of himself in his boxer shorts during work hours.”
At the time, he managed a children’s football team and lived at his family home with his wife and young children.
Mr Walsh said that the defendant, who had been told the girl was 14, asked to see her nightie and her legs. When photos were sent, he said he loved her nightie and describes her legs as “hot hot hot.”
Gary Marsden suggested she should come to his office on work experience and talked about a threesome with a 22-year-old woman, who was actually another invention of the undercover officer.
Gary Marsden described her as “sexy” and “perfect” and said: “I’m getting a bit excited”. He also spoke about kissing her all over and said: “I don’t mind some risk.”
After the chat, police arrested him at his home, said Mr Walsh. Gary Marsden, of Snowshill Drive, Wigan, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
The offences which were dropped involved arranging sexual penetration with a child and encouraging a 22-year-old to engage in sexual activity with the 14-year-old girl.
Steven Nikolich, defending, said that while Gary Marsden had denied having a sexual interest in children, he now admitted that he did.
He has no previous convictions and there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation “as he is someone probation can work with.” His ex-wife had written a letter to the court on his behalf.
Mr Nikolich added that Gary Marsden is in employment and wants to return to the family home.
Judge Anil Murray today (Monday) sentenced him to nine months imprisonment suspended for two years. He ordered him to carry out 150 hours unpaid work and pay £1200 costs.
The judge also ordered Gary Marsden to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same length of time.
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