Three words from the pastor to the police after Snapchat messages with ‘underage girls’ came to light

She said she was 12 and he said he was 48. The next day he messaged her on Snapchat via the profile ‘riphunter2022’ and the following week he took part in ‘a mix of sexualised and general chats’.

He encouraged her to swear and asked about boyfriends and at one point told her she was “a bad girl” and that he liked her. He sent her a picture of a chocolate penis and said it was modeled after him.

He asked her to come over to amuse him and said he lived in Widnes. At one point he said he could take Hollie “for a ride and a hamburger.”

Mr Dillon said he had a chat about spanking, suggested a practical biology session and asked her about masturbation. Around the same time, another undercover officer used the same platforms and posed as a 13-year-old girl called Jaz from Kendal.

Leatherbarrow started chatting despite knowing she was reportedly 13, and made inappropriate comments. Mr Dillon said: “He said spanking could be fun and was a sex game.” He also posted an image of a chocolate penis, similar to the one he sent to Hollie.

He was arrested on February 9 and when officers said they wanted to speak to the user of the two online accounts, he said: “Yes, it’s me.” When warned, he said: “I’m not going to deny that I had those conversations, but I didn’t think it was a sexual act.”

David Polglase, defending, said Leatherbarrow had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty. The defendant, now of Wellington Street, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, had resigned from his position, he added.

The court heard that he had worked in the university’s scientific community before becoming a minister and has secured a job at Tesco Express in Colne and an interview at Ikea. Mr Polglase said that “he sought distraction from work stress and boredom in a completely inappropriate way.”

Judge Medland said a referral from Rev Jane Morgan showed he has insight and is adamant he will not offend again, which she said is true. He ordered Leatherbarrow to carry out rehabilitation activities for 30 days and ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years. He suspended the twelve-month prison sentence by two years.

The defendant, formerly of Saints Close, Old Swan, had denied three other charges relating to attempting to engage in sexual communication, attempting to induce a child to watch a sexual act and making an indecent image, and these are in the file remains.

He was acquitted of possessing a prohibited image. The defendant was previously an assistant parish priest at St Ann’s Parish Church in Rainhill, near St Helens on Merseyside.

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd Dr. John Perumbalath, said: “I welcome today’s verdict and thank everyone at Merseyside Police who brought this case. I will take whatever action is within my power in relation to Mr Leatherbarrow, starting with accepting his resignation.

“I take safeguarding very seriously and will ensure that the diocese deals with these types of matters quickly, fairly and decisively. I also encourage anyone affected by this case or who has safeguarding concerns to raise this with the appropriate authorities.”