A property fund boss who promised what he believed was a teenage girl an iPhone and a spin in his Mercedes as he groomed her for sex is facing jail.
Julius Gottlieb, 48, showered the 14-year-old with compliments and offered to take her shopping in the West End during the illicit online chats.
Despite learning she was still at school, the married father-of-three asked her to send “nawty” pictures of herself and promised he could sneak her into a bar.
Gottlieb arranged to meet the girl — “Millie” — at Guildford station, only to find her profile was a fake and he had been chatting to a group of vigilantes looking to snare online predators.
They confronted him over his illicit activities on July 5 last year, and messages he wrote were handed to police.
Gottlieb swiftly quit as managing director of property investment fund Dorchester Ground Rent Management, based in York Way, Islington.
At Harrow crown court this week, he pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
After telling “Millie”: “U have a pretty face — wish I could see the rest of you” Gottlieb was sent a picture he believed was her with school friends.
When told she was 14, he replied “it’s ok hun”, and promised to “sneak u in” to a bar.
As they arranged to meet, Gottlieb asked: “Will you do everything? X.”
When she replied, “Like sex and everything?”, he said: “Yeah. You cool with that!” She replied: “Maybe, depends what you buy me.” Gottlieb told her: “A phone x.”
Gottlieb, now living in north-west London, was freed on bail until sentencing on December 6. He is banned from having contact with anyone under the age of 16 except his children.
Judge Graham Arran told him: “All appropriate sentencing options will be available.”
