Apprentice PE teacher who sent sex messages to Shropshire schoolgirls on social media avoids prison

Ralph Davies from Bridgnorth was working at a school in Shropshire when he begged for “nudes” from four underage girls, and sent one of them an indecent picture of himself.

The 24-year-old, who was aged between 18 and 19 at the time of his offending, added the girls on social media apps including Instagram and Snapchat, often starting off general conversations before sending sexual messages.

When his 13-year-old victim accepted his follow request he told her: “I’m not going to lie, I searched quite a bit to find you,” and that he found her “pretty fit”, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

Shortly after, she described his messages as becoming “dirty”, talking about various sexual acts she could do to him and using emojis to ask for sex. He also asked her to send pictures of herself in her bra.

She told him she was “disgusted” by his suggestions, told him it was “wrong” and to “leave me alone”. But she felt too scared to tell anyone.

Davies messaged her for a couple of months towards the end of 2019.

His three other victims were all 15 at the time.

He told one of the girls he found her “sexually attractive” and wanted to meet her after school. Davies then sent her an indecent picture of himself on Snapchat.

“She felt disgusted,” said prosecutor Simon Parry. Davies asked her for nudes but she blocked him.