Father offered to take a 14-year-old's virginity… unaware he was texting his wife's hairdresser

A married father has been jailed after he offered to take a 14-year-old’s virginity on Grindr, while he was unaware he was really talking to his wife’s hairdresser, who worked as an undercover paedophile hunter.

Jacob Smith, 39, from Whickham, Gateshead, made contact with a 14-year-old’s profile on dating site Grindr in September 2019 and discussed sex in ‘explicit’ detail.

Smith, who used the screen name ‘4trans’, said he wanted to take the child’s virginity and encouraged them to truant from school, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The teenager’s fake profile had been set up by group Guardians of the North, whose members pose as children online to expose adults looking for illegal contact.

Jacob Smith (pictured), 39, from Whickham, Gateshead, made contact with a 14-year-old’s profile on dating site Grindr in September 2019 and discussed sex in ‘explicit’ detail

Smith, who used the screen name ‘4trans’, said he wanted to take the child’s virginity and encouraged them to truant from school, Newcastle Crown Court heard

The teenager’s fake profile had been set up by group Guardians of the North, whose members pose as children online to expose adults looking for illegal contact. Pictured: The Grindr chats

Smith was told he was talking to a confused teenager who was a girl but wanted to be a boy. He started the conversation ‘hi beautiful’, the court was told

Smith was told he was talking to a confused teenager who was a girl but wanted to be a boy. He started the conversation ‘hi beautiful’, the court was told.

By a bizarre coincidence, the adult who was behind the fake profile was Smith’s wife’s hairdresser, who knew the family and recognised him instantly when he sent his photograph. 

Smith denied attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and claimed he knew who was behind the fake profile, saying he had sent the messages for ‘amusement’ at a time when he was not thinking straight.

But he was found guilty after a trial by jury and has been jailed for eight months. 

Smith has to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.

Mr Recorder Alex Menary said he accepted Smith was suffering from depression as a result of stress, brought on by a promotion at work and personal problems, but said only a custodial sentence could provide sufficient punishment.

Smith (pictured) denied attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, but he was found guilty after a trial by jury and has been jailed for eight months

By a bizarre coincidence, the adult who was behind the fake profile was Smith’s wife’s hairdresser and recognised him when he sent his photograph. Pictured: The Grindr chats

The court heard Smith later claimed he knew it was the hairdresser all along as he was ‘aware of her work’. Pictured: The chats between Smith and the fake teenager’s profile

The judge said: ‘By a twist of fate the decoy was your wife’s hairdresser. When you sent pictures of yourself she recognised you.

‘On learning you were in London on business she contacted the police. You made no comment when arrested.’

The court heard Smith later claimed he knew it was the hairdresser all along as he was ‘aware of her work’, so went along with the ploy as entertainment and distraction.

He also claimed he wasn’t thinking straight, saying he knew word of what he had done would get back to his wife but continued with it as a ‘cry for help’.

Smith was ‘ill’ at the time of the offences and has since received treatment, the court was told. 

Smith and his family had to sell their home once word of his offending got out and he now lives separately from them.

Philip Gibbs, defending, said: ‘He was ill, to quite a considerable degree. It wasn’t a short lived or trivial illness, it was a gathering storm.

‘He accepts the process and the verdict of the jury because that is justice.’