A CHILD internet sex case against a York man collapsed after a court heard that the "young" victim was really a reporter working for a national newspaper.

Defence barrister Edward Bindloss told York Crown Court that the case against Steven William Osbaldeston was about sexually explicit messages between him and someone called "Teasing Tanya" through an internet chatroom.

Mr Osbaldeston, 47, of Farmers Way, Copmanthorpe, had denied four charges of attempting to incite a girl under 16 to commit acts of gross indecency with himself in July 2003.

"In this case there is no 'Teasing Tanya', no girl under 16," the barrister said.

"There was a Sun journalist, who we submit is over 16."

He called for the case to be thrown out on the grounds it was impossible for Mr Osbaldeston to have committed an offence as there was no child involved.

Prosecution barrister Graham Reeds claimed that Mr Osbaldeston believed he was encouraging a girl under 16 to have sex with him.

"It is abundantly clear from page two of the transcript (of the chatroom exchanges) what the precise sort of requests he was making," said Mr Reeds.

"It makes it clear he thinks he is dealing with a child, explaining first-time sex and what might happen and is she sure she wants to do it."

He argued that Mr Osbaldeston had committed a crime, even though "Teasing Tanya" was a 25-year-old man.

When the Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, agreed with the defence after a three-hour legal argument, the prosecution offered no evidence.

The judge will give the reasons for his decision later. Today he was deciding what, if anything, Mr Osbaldeston will pay of his defence costs.

Mr Osbaldeston made no comment after he left court and the Crown Prosecution Service reserved its comment until it had seen the judge's reasons.

Defence lawyers had also been prepared to argue that The Sun had entrapped Mr Osbaldeston.

A Sun spokesman was unable to comment today on the collapse of the case.

Updated: 10:33 Tuesday, July 13, 2004