A Wodonga man who preyed on underage girls for sexual material online will have to serve one year behind bars.
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Steven Phillip Watson, a boilermaker of Sapphire Circuit, West Wodonga, engaged in highly sexualised language with the victims, one of whom was a police officer posing as a 14-year-old girl.
The 33-year-old appeared in Wodonga for sentence in the County Court on Friday, having pleaded guilty to four charges of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material.
Judge Anne Hassan told Watson it was a serious offence, and that young people had a right to be safe online, "free from predatory actions of people like you".
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Watson sought explicit images and video of the underage girls he spoke to.
After one girl sent content to Watson, he instructed her to take a "live pic or a video".
"Do you have more pics?" he asked. "I want to see more of my sexy new friend".
In one of the exchanges with a victim, he texted to say "don't get caught texting me. We'll both be in trouble lol".
The judge said Watson understood at the time that girl was aged 14.
She said in some instances, the conversations were too graphic in nature to repeat but the court was told Watson spoke of masturbating, engaging in sex acts, sending photos and taking their virginity.
Watson had also used groups such as Teens 4 Men and Teens for Olders.
Judge Hassan said a report to the court described Watson as someone who struggled with emotion and intimacy, and that his online interactions reduced his anxiety.
But, she said, "this does not excuse what you have done and I view it as serious (matter)".
Watson's defence submitted the offending was relatively brief, was not continuous and had not been aimed at initiating "contact".
But Judge Hassan said the offending could be classed as predatory, and that she had no alternative but to impose a sentence of time to be served in jail.
He was sentenced in total to two years and two months in custody, with a minimum term of 12 months behind bars.
The offence of using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material carries a maximum prison term of 15 years.
