A St. John’s man who sent sexual messages to a young teenage boy through social media over a two-year period will learn his fate later this month, when he returns to court for sentencing.
Randy Douglas Dawe, 53, admitted sending the messages to the boy — who was 13 at the start — but told police when he was arrested that he was just joking.
Dawe’s messages to the boy included questions about masturbation and comments about the boy’s “sexy/sweet ass,” according to an agreed statement of facts signed by Dawe, his lawyer and the Crown.
At one point, Dawe told the child he had considered hiring a “hooker” for him for his birthday, but it would have made Dawe angry.
Dawe also asked the boy if he had a girlfriend, and said he’d be angry if the boy got one. Dawe told the boy he wished the boy were gay, and told him he got an erection “every time I sees ya.”
“For $50 just to see ya naked that’s worth it,” Dawe wrote.
“No,” the boy responded.
“Oh you wouldn’t do that,” Dawe replied.
“No,” the boy repeated.
Another time, Dawe offered the child $20 to see his “ass.”
The boy’s father contacted the police after finding the messages in April 2016. Police obtained subscriber information for the Facebook account and for the IP address from which the messages were sent, linking them to Dawe’s name and address.
There were 495 pages of messages between Dawe and the child.
A search of Dawe’s home turned up nothing, and he told police his computer had broken the same month the boy’s father discovered the messages. He said he had thrown the computer out.
Dawe was arrested at his home in October 2016 and admitted to police he had written the messages on his home computer, but said he had been joking.
The statement of facts reads, “Dawe indicated that while he could not recall writing some of the messages, he could offer no alternative explanation as to their authorship.”
Dawe was charged with child luring and attempting to obtain sexual services from a person under 18.
The case will be called again in provincial court in St. John’s on May 30, when Judge David Orr will deliver his sentencing decision.
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
