A RAPIST and paedophile has been released from prison in part due to his ‘sad background’, a court has heard.

Christopher Why, 37, received a suspended sentence at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday (August 9), releasing him from custody after he was caught attempting to sexually communicate with young girls.

The young girls turned out to be vigilante groups who reported Why to the police. He was arrested and held in custody until his sentencing this week.

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Judge Emma Nott decided to suspend his 24 months sentence for two years in part due to his ‘sad background’ and his ‘genuine remorse’.

During the sentencing, the court heard that Why, previously of Wokingham, was caught sending messages to what he thought were young girls on June 3, 4 and 5 this year.

The first ‘girl’ told Why she was 14-year-old and the conversation turned sexual. He asked to meet with her so they could ‘play together’ and he said he ‘wanted to show her his big c***’.

A second conversation with a ‘girl’ named Sophie told Why she was 13 years old. He said he wanted to be her online boyfriend and send a picture of his penis and asked the account if they ‘liked it’.

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He asked the ‘girl’ for naked pictures as well.

The last conversation was with ‘girl’ named Emily who told Why she was 12 years old. He asked her if she wanted to see him naked and sent three photographs, including one of his genitalia.

Why also admitted to failing to comply with notification orders put in place in 2001 after he was convicted of rape.

The breaches were failing to register his new address with police, failing to register a new bank account and failing to comply with his annual notification requirement.

In mitigation, the court heard that Why had a ‘difficult’ upbringing, including moving address up to 35 times, and had recently started caring for his elderly grandmother.

Sentencing, Judge Nott said: “Your mitigation is strong. Your background is said and importantly you show genuine remorse and never tried to hide what you’ve done.

“I am also concerned that immediate custody would result in you losing your accommodation and then you would live with your partner.

“There have been calls to police for domestic violence, sometimes you were the perpetrator and sometimes the victim.

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“If you breach the suspended order I don’t care how overcrowded the prisons are you will go straight to prison.”

Cheers could be heard from the public gallery as the sentence was suspended. Why will also need to complete 55 days of rehabilitation activity, a month and a half of a sexual offending program and 22 hours of unpaid work.