Facebook sex menace jailed

In the first case of its kind in Bermuda, a 22-year-old man was today jailed for 18 months for trying to lure girls to have sex with him via Facebook messages.

Christopher Corday of Hamilton Parish pleaded guilty in November to communicating with two girls, aged 11 and 14, by means of telecommunication with the purpose of having unlawful carnal knowledge between May 27 and July 31.

He also admitted intruding on the privacy of those same two girls between the same dates and a 16-year-old girl.

Corday denied intruding on the privacy of a 19-year-old woman between May 2012 and July 2013.

The charges were initially due to be heard in the Supreme Court, but Corday agreed to plead guilty to the charges so they were heard in Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard Corday set up a fake Facebook account in the name of Crystal last May and reached out to the victims.

He sent multiple messages to the 11-year-old girl claiming a guy named Chris wanted to f**k her in June 2013 after the end of the school term.

Shortly after receiving the message, the victim received a phone call on her cell phone from Corday, asking her to sneak out of her house.

She refused. But Corday continued to send her messages trying to lure her to come to his home to have sex with him.

The 14-year-old victim also received messages from Corday in May 2013 and told her teacher that a man was harassing her on Facebook and was trying to have sex with her.

The girl’s teacher took her to the school counselor where more information was divulged.

Corday - posing as Crystal - offered the victim $1,000 to have sex with him via Facebook messages.

Corday then stopped communicating with the victim as Crystal but started talking to her from his own account.

The 16-year-old victim received messages from Corday in May 2012.  A year later, she received a message from Crystal.

The victim believed Crystal was Corday’s girlfriend who was using a pseudonym.

Crown counsel Susan Mulligan said: “The victim responded that she though Crystal was really weird, making fake accounts to get people to go with your boyfriend and suggested that she needed a slap.

"There was no response from Crystal.”

Corday admitted the offences during police interviews after his arrest and said he was the person who created the fake Facebook account.

In her sentencing submissions, Ms Mulligan said: “The offences were repeated and there were multiple victims.  The offender was persistent and devious. 

“The offender suggested to one victim that they wouldn’t tell anyone about their sexual contact in order to avoid detection and prosecution. 

"The offender continued his conduct despite being on police bail for similar conduct. 

“The defendant initially lied to police about his culpability and suggested the girls were in part to blame because he claimed they were mean to his girlfriend – an allegation later disproved by the police.”

Mitigating for Corday, Marc Daniels, suggested the time served in custody coupled with two or three years of probation with sex offender rehabilitation would be appropriate in the circumstances.

Sentencing Corday, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner called the case “serious” and jailed Corday for nine months for the first four counts and three months for count five.

Counts three and four are to run consecutive meaning a total of 18 months imprisonment.

“I find that this is an appropriate case for consecutive sentences, bearing in mind the circumstances as it relates to counts three and four.”

In addition, Corday was given two years probation with sexual counseling to be offered while he is incarcerated.

The maximum sentence for these offences is five years.