A MAN in his 40s who asked a 15-year-old girl if he could perform a sex act on her left the victim feeling “disgusted and sick”.
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Michael Peter Betts, 42, appeared to regret the request before he’d even had made it, apologising several times in the message he sent her on April 15.
“I no the answer and shouldn’t ask and I’m sorry but can I (perform the act), sorry 4 asking,” he wrote to the girl during a drinking session about 11.30pm.
“Please tell me if I'm doing the (wrong) thing.”
He had sent other lewd messages an hour earlier, and had quickly written “plz don’t show ya mum”.
Betts was recently told by Albury magistrate Tony Murray his language towards the girl was “nothing less than disgraceful”.
The SMS messages he sent the girl led to him being charged with producing child abuse material and procuring a child for unlawful sexual activity.
Those charges were dropped when the Albury man instead pleaded guilty to one count of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend.
Betts repeatedly pleaded with the girl to keep quiet after he sent the messages, fearful others would find out and that he would go to jail.
“U is gonna tell ya friends, guess I can’t do anything about that but say sorry,” he wrote to her.
“I no u hate me now but can u tell me if I’m going to jail or not, plz.”
The girl did report the incident to her mother the following day.
Police attended their home on April 18 and both made statements to the officers.
Despite his actions, Betts insulted the teenager when he was interviewed.
“The offender stated that the victim was a dirty slut and has been in sexual relationships with numerous males in Albury,” police facts state.
Police also noted the impact Betts’ behaviour had had on the girl.
“The victim stated she was disgusted and sick from the messages,” the court was told.
Officers examined Betts’ phone but he had deleted all the messages between the pair.
An intervention order has been in place to protect the victim since April.
Betts, who appeared before court balding with a scruffy beard and spider web tattoo on his hand, will be sentenced next month.
Mr Murray ordered a report be prepared before the sentence is handed down.
The matter was adjourned to Albury Local Court on November 11.
