A BRIT gold medal-winning Paralympian was caught in a paedo sting after demanding a 14-year-old “girl” strip naked and send photos.
Gareth Duke, 39, who took gold for swimming in Athens in 2004 and silver in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, began chatting with a teen girl called Mia.
But he was unaware the 14-year-old was actually paedo hunters posing as a schoolgirl.
Duke asked Mia to strip on camera, begged for pictures of her in the bath and told her to perform sex acts.
He even arranged for her to travel 140 miles from Portsmouth to his home in Cwmbran, South Wales, for a “kiss and a cuddle”.
His twisted crimes came to light when the Child Online Safety Team passed their findings to police.
Duke admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child but avoided jail.
The shamed swimmer was instead handed a six month suspended sentence after the judge heard he is registered blind, needs kidney dialysis three times a week and has just 20 per cent hearing in both ears.
Ben Jones, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court: “There was the soliciting of images.
“He asked her for photographs in the bath and told her he would show her a good time.
“The defendant asked her to strip on camera before the conversations become more graphic.”
Alice Sykes, for Duke, said his “complex health needs” could be managed in the community as she begged the judge to avoid a jail sentence.
As well as the suspended sentence, Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant ordered him to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay a £154 victim surcharge.
Duke must also register as a sex offender and was made the subject of a seven-year sexual harm prevention order.
The judge said: “There is no doubt that you were aware of the ‘person’s age.
“You said that age was just a number.
“This was predatory offending and serious criminal behaviour.
“You have shown remorse and you have no previous convictions.”
