A Wollongong man who sexually groomed what he thought was an underage girl over the internet admitted to police upon his arrest that he might be "sick in the head".
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An officer from the NSW Police's child exploitation unit was undercover posing as a 14-year-old girl when they began speaking to 51-year-old Steven Flynn in an internet chat room in June last year.
Flynn told the 'girl' he was 42, while she told him she was 14, prompting him to ask her for a photo so he could "check her out".
He quickly steered the conversation to sex, saying he wanted her "in his bed" to warm him up during to the cold weather.
Flynn and the undercover officers had the following conversation:
Flynn: Would you fancy a bit?
Girl: Soz, I hope you don't think I'm asking dumb questions and think I'm a silly 14yr old girl.
Flynn: No that's okay. [I mean] sex.
Girl: OMG, would you really do that to me?"
Flynn: Yes, if you want to.
Girl: I've never done anything like that before. Like what would you want to do?
Flynn: Kiss you, suck your nipples, feel you up
Girl: I'd be heaps nervous though
Flynn: That's okay, could help you relax, massage your body.
Girl: I love massages.
In further conversations, Flynn asked the girl about where she lived and her school holiday plans before suggesting they meet up and have sex.
"No one will know," he said, promising to take her to the movies or a motel after she caught the train down the Wollongong to meet him.
The undercover officer ceased communicating with Flynn at the end of June.
Police arrested Flynn in January this year.
During an interview with detectives, Flynn admitted he'd been talking to teenagers when he shouldn't have been, including the victim, who he knew was underage, but denied he had steered the conversations to sex or that he was coaching them.
He also denied being turned on by the chat, claiming he had no sexual attraction to children and had just wanted to "scare them".
However, Flynn did admit his guilt and told police maybe he was "sick in the head" and that he didn't know why he'd done it.
Flynn was charged with a single count of using a carriage service to groom a child for sexual activity, to which he pleaded guilty in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 12 years' jail.
Flynn remains in custody and will face Wollongong District Court on July 12 when a sentencing date will be set.