A FORMER Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) based in Winchester who thought he was sending sexualised messages to a 13-year-old girl has avoided being sent to prison.

Daniel Carlson exchanged messages with a profile on social media apps, including Snapchat, he believed belonged to a child, in July and August this year, a court heard.

But the 29-year-old was actually communicating with a sting account operated by a police officer.

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Mottisfont Court (Image: Hampshire Constabulary) At Bournemouth Crown Court he pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and two counts of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.

He was sentenced to an eight-month prison term suspended for two years and ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation days, 200 hours of unpaid work, and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Carlson has since been dismissed by the force.

A spokesman said: “A court heard at the start of the conversation, Carlson was told the profile belonged to a child, but he continued to send messages. Among these messages were repeated offers to pay for sexually explicit images.

“Bournemouth Crown Court was told the person behind the account was actually a police officer, and not a child as Carlson had believed.”

Deputy chief constable Sam de Reya said: “The abhorrent behaviour displayed by Daniel Carlson has absolutely no place in society, let alone in policing.

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“As police officers and staff, we are entrusted with protecting the most vulnerable in our communities, particularly children, a duty at the core of public service and our child-centred policing approach.

“The messages Carlson sent, believing he was engaging with a child, are reprehensible and totally at odds with what the public rightly expect from those working in the police service.

“We are out there, proactively seeking out offending against children, particularly involving sexual criminality, and this should send a clear message that there will be no tolerance of this from anyone."