A 45-YEAR-OLD was caught messaging a child on social media, possessing indecent images of children and secretly recording people.

Robin Ahrens, 45 and of Edgehill Road in Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to the six charges at Poole Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced on November 29.

It was said Ahrens possessed and made an indecent image of a child, of category C, on December 3, 2021.

They also possessed and made an image of the same nature on December 6, 2021.

Ahrens admitted to one charge of voyeurism, namely operating a mobile phone camera for the purpose of sexual gratification to observe a person doing a private act knowing that they did not consent.

It was said the voyeurism took place between March 3, 2022 and March 23, 2022.

The defendant admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, namely on Snapchat, on March 38, 2022.

Ahrens was handed a sentence of 12 months, suspended for two years.

They were ordered to complete 40 days of a programme and 180 hours of unpaid work.

Ahrens was made subject to the sex offenders register and a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

They must pay £85 in prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £187.