Louis Kirby, from New Holland in Lincolnshire, stole photos of the 15-year-old girl from Las Vegas, who was reported missing in a child abduction case.
The 24-year-old then posted online exchanges involving the phantom relationship on Facebook as he trawled the internet for underage girls to groom, GrimbsyLive reports.
He is believed to have stolen the girl’s identity after discovering it on an alert from a police department in California after the 15-year-old went missing with a man in his early 30s.
(Image: GrimsbyLive/ WS)
The girl was later reunited with her parents a few days later, safe and well.
However, Kirby stole her photographs from the missing person appeal and used them in setting up a fake Facebook profile under an alternative name.
Kirby, a convicted sex offender, claimed to be in a relationship with the 15-year-old, who he named ‘Emily Beech’.
He updated his status on Facebook to ‘in a relationship’ and engaged in a conversation on the post, posing as himself and as ‘Emily’.
The conversation reads:
Emily: “Ily babe xxx”
Kirby: “I love u too sexy”
Emily: “I love you more”
Last week, Kirby’s case came to a close nearly 18 months for repeatedly targeting girls and women on social media.
His long-running case was transferred from Grimsby Crown Court to Sheffield Crown Court.
He was given a hospital order by a doctor who told the court room this was in his best interests.
(Image: GrimsbyLive/ WS)
The 24-year-old admitted causing or inciting four girls into engaging in sexual activity between 2015 and 2017.
He also admitted engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
Four young girls suffered “deeply unpleasant” consequences after he targeted them in an obscene and persistent social media campaign.
He made overt sexual comments to them and was not deterred when police became involved.
In April 2018, Kirby was given a two-year suspended prison sentence at Grimsby Crown Court and a three-month 7pm to 7am curfew.
Read More
Top news stories from Mirror Online
He was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and was ordered to sign a sex offender’s register for seven years.
However, he appeared back in court in July 2018 after breaking his sexual harm prevention order by engaging in internet chat and making Facebook contact.
He also admitted to owning a mobile phone and opening a social media account – which both breached his order and his notification requirements as a sex offender.