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Perth's man's sickening messages to child he groomed and raped

A Perth man who groomed a teenager online then raped her and also possessed thousands of photos of children as young as one being sexually abused has been jailed for five-and-a-half years.

In a Facebook Messenger conversation, the victim reminded Peter John Guttridge she was 15 after the then 29-year-old said "I do believe we need to solve your virginity problem ASAP".

He then mocked her assertion she should lose her virginity to someone she loved.

"Maybe 40 years ago. LOL," he wrote.

When she said she still believed she should be "really close" to the person, he responded: "As you get older you will realise it's only sex".

He made a vile proposition, then told her he was a "gentleman" who only revealed his fantasies when drunk.

He lured her to his home and repeatedly defiled her.

She immediately went to a hospital afterwards.

An unrecognizable man with laptop computer working in home office at night. Top view.
Peter John Guttridge was jailed for raping a teenager and possessing thousands of images of children being sexually abused. Source: Getty, file

Guttridge was on bail at the time, having been found months earlier with thousands of digital photos of children ranging in age from one to six being sexually abused.

Some of the victims were bound and gagged.

District Court of WA Judge Patrick O'Neal described the images as "way out on the fringe" and being of "an extremely high level of depravity and perversity".

The court heard Guttridge also taunted a woman he knew by sending her indecent images of children, suggesting her daughter was being sexually abused, which Judge O'Neal labelled unbelievably cruel and devious.

"He is appalled by that behaviour now," defence counsel Abigail Rogers said.

"It is with shame that he looks back on the offending."

Ms Rogers suggested Guttridge's methylamphetamine use may have been a factor, but Judge O'Neal rejected any connection.

He also flatly dismissed Guttridge's claim he had no sexual interest in children.

Guttridge will be eligible for parole after serving three years and six months.

For 24-hour sexual violence support call the national hotline 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or MensLine on 1800 600 636.

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