A FORMER lifeboat volunteer asked a “13-year-old girl” to meet him at a hotel for sex after grooming her online.

Paul Marsh, 42, from Chepstow was caught by an undercover police officer who was posing as a teenager called Mabel.

The defendant, who has worked as a successful naval architect designing boats, encouraged the ‘underage girl’ to touch herself sexually.

Marsh also asked her to send him an upskirt picture, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

He and the police decoy started chatting on the StrangerMeetup platform last summer and he knew from the start that ‘Mabel’ was only 13.

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Peter Donnison, prosecuting, said: “The defendant asked her about her previous sexual experiences.

“He said he wanted to abuse her. He suggested they meet up and go to a hotel together.”

Marsh asked her to touch herself and told her: “Please don’t feel embarrassed. We all do it sometimes. Do you want to do it together?”

“Where are you now? I want to play with you right now.”

Mr Donnison added: “The defendant later said to her, ‘Show me something naughty.’

“He then suggested she send him an upskirt picture.”

Marsh's address was given as Larkfield Avenue in Chepstow but the Argus understands he has now moved elsewhere and no longer lives there.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause/incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

The offences took place between August 2023 and October 2023.

The defendant, who had spent the last three months in prison after being remanded in custody at the magistrates’ court, has no previous convictions.

Julia Cox, mitigating, said Marsh’s actions were part of a “fantasy” rather than having any semblance of reality.

The court was told the defendant had developed an alcohol problem following the Covid outbreak and had started using adult pornography as a form of “escapism”.

He had worked as a naval architect and was a former lifeboat volunteer who has been offered a job.

The judge, Recorder Mark Cotter KC, said: “The chats represented grooming behaviour.

“You were describing a scenario where the fictional girl would pose so that you could take photographs.

“This was you facilitating a fantasy scenario.”

He added that there was “a disparity in age” between him and ‘Mabel’ and told Marsh: “You continue to deny a sexual interest in children.”

Recorder Cotter added: “You may present a danger to young girls but this offending appears to be a one-off event.

“On balance, there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

Marsh was jailed for 16 months but that prison sentence was suspended for two years.

The defendant must complete 35 sessions of the Horizon sex offender programme and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will have to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years and he was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.