A TEACHER who sent explicit images of himself to a 'girl' has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Police snared David Goodwin, who at the time was working at Furness Academy in Barrow, by posing as a 12-year-old girl on the internet, Preston Crown Court was told

Prosecutors said the 38-year-old also asked the girl to 'strip naked'.

"This took place with a police stooge who put a profile on the internet," said prosecutor Mr Brown.

"The child made clear her age saying she was 12 at the outset.

"He admitted he was way older than her.

"He repeatedly said they should stop.

"This showed he had clear awareness of the wrongness of their conversation.

"Despite that he continued with the conversation and he asked what she looked like.

"This rapidly changed into conversations of a more sexual nature."

Goodwin, of Broughton Road in Dalton, admitted that he sent a number of messages to an account presenting as a 12-year-old girl in April this year.

He also admitted attempting to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity, namely him performing a sex act on himself.

He denied a charge of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, which was discarded by prosecutors.

The Broughton Road resident was employed at the secondary school until May 31.

"He has acted in a way that he would never have done in his day-to-day life," said Ms Carol, mitigating.

"He has made a positive contribution to society up until now.

"The anonymity of the internet allows people to go to places they would never normally go in day-to-day life.

"I urge you to suspend his sentence today.

"He will punish himself for the rest of his life and lose the prospect of having children as he believes nobody would want children with him after this offence."

His Honour Judge Medland QC said: "You are a man of previous good character.

"You have behaved in a way that is completely out of character for you.

"Children are just that, children, and they are entitled to be treated as that and not sexual objects.

"It is plain to me that you are ridden with remorse."

The judge contemplated his mitigation and decided to suspend his prison sentence.

For attempting to sexually communicate with a child he received an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years and for attempting to get the child to look at an image of sexual activity he received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

As part of the suspended sentence order, he must undertake 20 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

The judge put in place a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and Goodwin must sign on to the sex offender’s register.

Furness Academy was contacted for a comment on the sentencing but could not be reached yesterday.

Headteacher Simon Laheney said previously: "The school takes the safeguarding of its students very seriously and can confirm that all regulatory and statutory obligations have been fulfilled and complied with proactively, comprehensively and consistently.”