A former Australian Federal Police employee has been found guilty of grooming an 11-year-old Canberra girl through Instagram messages, including one saying he would like to see her "nude body".
The ACT Supreme Court jury delivered its verdict on Monday after a week-long trial.
The court heard the 49-year-old man met the girl's mother on an internet dating site.
Months later he began visiting the family home regularly and befriended the girl, including following her on Instagram.
One evening after he had left the house, the girl showed her mother the offensive messages, including one that read:
"I want to see your nude body. Yes or no."
Another said, "I liked your very short skirt".
The woman said she was traumatised by the discovery, but when she rang the man he denied he had sent the messages and claimed he had been hacked.
He told the woman she may also have been hacked and should change her password.
He also quizzed her about what she was planning to do about the messages.
The man told the woman there were others who could have hacked his account, including the girl's brother who was hostile towards him.
The court heard of an incident when the boy allegedly sprayed deodorant on the man's food.
Jury unconvinced by hacking theory
The woman and two friends, who were with her, began photographing the messages, but said some they had initially seen, including the mention of the short skirt, had already disappeared.
The man's lawyer told the jury most of the messages to the girl were innocent, suggesting someone else was the culprit.
But the jury rejected that after deliberating for less than a day.
Unusually, the man was not in court for the verdict, after being hospitalised on Friday.
The court has ordered a forensic mental health report, but has not set a sentence date.
