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A pharmacist who was caught in an undercover police operation sending sexual messages to who he thought was a 14-year-old boy has been given a suspended sentence.

Tony O'Neill, 45, from Hoskins Lane, Marton, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years, told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also given a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to comply with notification requirements for the next 10 years during sentencing at Teesside Crown Court after admitting to one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one of attempting to meet a boy under 16 years of age following grooming.

Dozens of messages sent in May 2024 to the “underage teenager”

The court heard O’Neill sent dozens of messages over almost two weeks in May 2024 to the “underage teenager”, referred to as “J” during the trial but who was actually a police officer from Cleveland Police, according to Teesside Live and The Northern Echo.

O’Neill, initially believing “J” was 20, started sending him messages on the adult gay dating site FabGuys before they switched to Snapchat where “J” told O’Neill he was 14.

The court heard O’Neill acknowledged “J” was “very young” but exchanged photos with him, remarking that the boy had “piercing blue eyes”.

O’Neill then told him: “I wish I was 30 years younger then I'd definitely be asking you out on a date. The age gap is huge and it's illegal."

Despite expressing his concern to “J” that he was too young to be “on this site”, indicating it was not safe, O’Neill continued their chat and sent him a naked photograph on Snapchat as a “safe way to tease” him and arranged to meet up.

O’Neill, who has no previous convictions, was arrested at the pharmacy where he worked on the day of the meeting. His lawyer David Ward said he accepted “full responsibility” and was “deeply ashamed of his offending”.

This month, a General Pharmaceutical Council fitness-to-practise committee gave O'Neill, who the court heard was £20,000 in debt, an 18-month suspension.