Latest Offenders Lincolnshire

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A sex offender who groomed and sexually abused a teenage girl has been put behind bars.

Thomas Timson, 36, took advantage of a schoolgirl by befriending her and buying her presents.

He paid the girl compliments to win her confidence before abusing her on multiple occasions between October 2019 and April 2020.

Timson, of Kirton, near Newark, was jailed for three years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (January 20).

He was convicted after a trial on four counts of engaging a girl in sexual activity.

Detective Sergeant James Robinson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Timson’s behaviour was manipulative and predatory. He knew exactly what he was doing when he chose to befriend a young, vulnerable girl.

“His actions were completely reprehensible and caused the child unimaginable emotional damage.

“I’d like to mention the bravery of the child in this case in speaking to officers and helping expose Timson for his appalling crimes.

“By lying about his abuse this case went to trial and put the victim through even more pain.

“I’m pleased that the jury saw through his lies and he is now serving a custodial sentence for his actions.”

Timson met the girl after being introduced to her in July 2019 and was fully aware of her age.

After gaining her confidence, Timson began buying the girl clothes as well as transferring money into her bank account and taking her on shopping trips and to restaurants.

During police interviews, the girl said Timson was throwing money at her.

He asked her to send sexually explicit pictures of herself and sent her inappropriate messages before engaging the girl in sexual activity.

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A twisted Snapchat predator from Lincolnshire has been jailed after grooming, abducting and having sex with a schoolgirl.

Daniel Potterton from Kirton, Boston, targeted the 14-year-old girl in June before luring her into a string of sexual acts which lasted a number of weeks.

The 20-year-old was sentenced to six years in prison at Newcastle Crown Court and told he must sign the sex offenders register. He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life and subject to an indefinite restraining order.

Potterton randomly added the girl on Snapchat in June and began chatting with her. Her parents ended up confiscating her phone after becoming concerned about the contact and she reacted by causing damage to their home while shouting and swearing and they contacted police, reports Chronicle Live.

Potterton drove to South Tyneside and contacted the girl from near her home and she went out with him in his Vauxhall Corsa, turning off the GPS on her phone. The girl, who was a virgin, had sex with him in the car.

She was reported missing by her parents and when she returned home she had love bites and was described as "obsessed" with him and refused to cooperate with a medical examination, saying she believed she was in a relationship with him.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the girl also texted her parents asking if she could go away with him for 10 days but they refused. She also said she needed her passport to go to France and "didn't appear to think there was anything wrong with her having sex with him.

Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said: "He said he was going to prison anyway so he might as well do it again." Police saw the defendant's car crossing Wearmouth Bridge on August 2 and the girl was in the car with him and he was arrested.

In a victim impact statement, the girl's mother said: "It has caused me to feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown, I feel weighed down and I feel like a zombie.

"Her behaviour has turned manic since I found out she was speaking to him. She doesn't care about the danger as long as she can be with him.

"We have taken her phone off her and she is always searching for it. She will do anything and everything to get what she wants.

"She has turned the whole family's world upside down. I feel broken and all our hearts are breaking. She thinks she can do what she wants and calls me an idiot when I try to educate her."

Her dad added: "We have had to put locks on every door except the bathroom. Every time we leave the house we have to lock every room and it feels like a prison. If we don't, she would search everywhere to get hold of bank cards or phones."

Potterton, of Dennis Estate, Boston, pleaded guilty to child abduction, two counts of sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and meeting a child following sexual grooming.

On a second occasion, Potterton drove back up to the North East and the girl went to meet him again. When her mother discovered she was not in her room in the early hours, police were contacted. She then came home at 5am.

Judge Christopher Prince said: "(The girl) bears a deep resentment (to her parents) notwithstanding their efforts to do everything they can to try to help. The effect on them has been profound and distressing. They are quite simply utterly at their wits end at their inability to do more to help her.

"You were fully aware of what you were doing and fully aware you were breaking the law yet you took the most cynical view that as you were going to prison anyway you would engage in sexual intercourse with her a second time."

Steven Reed, defending, said Potterton was of previous good character and said immaturity contributed to his offending.

After the case, Detective Sergeant Jodie Faulkner, of Northumbria Police, said: "This is a very upsetting case that saw Potterton target his underage victim on social media before sexually exploiting her over a number of weeks. His behaviour has had a shattering impact on both his victim and her family. I sincerely hope his conviction in court offers them some comfort.

"As soon as we were made aware of this case, we were determined to get hold of Potterton who we learnt had been travelling long distances from Lincolnshire over a number of weeks to sexually exploit his victim."

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A 35-year-old man has been jailed for 5 years and 6 months after committing further sexual offences against children two months after he was released on licence.

Jamie Lee Tye of Normandy Road in Louth was charged with two counts of breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), three counts of creating indecent images of children, and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

These offences took place between April and October 2021 when he was released on licence.

Detectives from the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) received intelligence that Tye had committed further offences involving indecent images of children.

Following several enquiries, a warrant was executed on 13 October 2021 and Tye was arrested for making indecent images of children and for breaching the order. He was subsequently recalled to prison to complete the rest of his sentence.

Investigations continued whilst Tye was still serving his sentence and on his release on Friday 14 October this year, detectives re-arrested him. He was remanded in court on Saturday 16 October and was returned to prison.

Detective Sergeant Sam Ward from POLIT said: Teamwork was paramount to the success of this operation in keeping a dangerous offender off our streets. Id like to give thanks to my team of dedicated officers for their hard work in securing this conviction.

Detective Constable Laura Gavin, who led the investigation, said: Lincolnshire Police is committed to keeping children safe from harm and we will robustly pursue anyone who is suspected of this type of offence.

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A Stamford man who tried to rape a stranger and sexually assaulted another woman has been jailed for five years and 10 months.

Caine Hull was just 17 when he carried out the offences in November 2018, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Hull, now 21, denied four offences of sexual assault on a young woman, who cannot be named, but was found guilty after a trial in July.

The jury also convicted Hull of a single charge of attempting to rape a woman in her early 40's.

Sarah Phelan, prosecuting, told the court the offence was an attempted rape of a stranger who was drunk but able to walk home.

"He targeted a vulnerable victim in the early hours of the morning," Miss Phelan said.

The victim of the sexual assaults carried out by Hull was in court to watch him sentenced today (November 2).

Miss Phelan read out a victim impact statement from the woman who described how the incidents had impacted her in many ways.

She said: "Initially I was frightened to go out either alone or with friends."

The woman added her fear of Hull got worse when she reported the matter and realised he was on bail.

She described being unable to go out in the dark until shortly before the trial and said she was "terrified" of Hull.

The woman said she had suffered with anxiety and depression since the assaults, and had also lost some friends.

She concluded her statement by adding: "I wish to move on with my life, and move on from the hell he's caused me."

Hull also pleaded guilty to an offence of attempted robbery committed in February 2021.

The court heard Hull, formerly of Northumberland Avenue, Stamford, was remanded into custody following his trial at Lincoln Crown Court in July.

Karen Walton, mitigating, told the court Hull had no previous convictions until his offending began in November 2018.

She reminded the court Hull was still then a juvenile.

He will remain on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Speaking after the sentencing. investigating officer DC Kerry Munro said, “I would like to pay tribute to the women assaulted by Hull and their bravery in coming to us and supporting the investigation.

“It’s been a long wait for them to finally see Hull face justice for what he has done.

“The delays they have endured were exacerbated by Hull’s refusal to accept responsibility for his crimes. No sentence could make up for the harm he has caused but I hope today’s result brings some peace and consolation to these inspirational women.

“This is a message to perpetrators of the consequences of their actions.

“We will do all in our power to bring offenders before the courts, no matter how long it takes.

“If you have been a victim of sexual assault, we will take your report seriously and treat you with sensitivity and respect.”

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Lee Overton, Woodhall Drive, Lincoln, was sentenced Wednesday, 26 October 2022, following a trail, lasting a week and a half at Lincoln Crown Court.

Overton was found guilty of 17 offences of sexual assault on a child under 13 years old that happened between 2011 and 2018.

Along with his prison sentence of five and a half years, he was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He has been placed on the sexual offenders register for life.

DC Jann Olsen, Protecting Vulnerable People, Lincolnshire Police, said: “I welcome the prison sentence and the ongoing protective measures that have been put in place.

“This offending was against the most vulnerable in society and I hope with the conclusion of the court case, those involved can find some closure.”

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A Lincolnshire man who was arrested in Portugal has been sentenced to three years in prison for child sex offences.

Alistair Riggott, 53, of Grosvenor Road, Skegness, was arrested by a Portuguese police team in a joint operation with Lincolnshire Police International Unit and the National Crime Agency. The arrest followed a warrant issued by Boston Magistrate's Court in October 2021 after Riggott failed to appear at court.

He was charged with numerous offences including attempting to cause a child to watch/look at an image of sexual activity, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage a child in sexual communication and the making and possession of indecent images of children. A wanted man appeal was issued by police and an investigation revealed he may have fled the UK.

After discovering he may be in Portugal, Lincolnshire Police International Unit set up a fugitive investigation with local forces to track him down. Riggott was successfully apprehended and extradited back to the UK and admitted to the offences on Tuesday, August 9, at Lincoln Crown Court.

He will also have to adhere to the sex offender notification requirements, previously known as the sex offenders register. Speaking about Riggott's conviction, Detective Sgt Sam Ward said: “This is another dangerous offender facing a term in prison for what he has done.

"Ultimately, our work on this case means that the county is safer today and children are safeguarded as a result. Our Officers, colleagues in Portugal, and the NCA worked diligently to find Riggott and bring him back to the UK to face justice. It’s a powerful message that we will not give up the search for any suspect, wherever they may try to hide.”

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Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

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A scheming convicted sex offender pretended to be a teenage boy in online conversations with young girls in a perverted bid to try to get them to send revealing and intimate photographs of themselves to him, Hull Crown Court heard.

Obsessed and cunning Jamie Agnew used a decoy picture of a boy and even installed special software to disguise the identification of his phone. He used a virtual private network (VPN) in an attempt to prevent police being able to monitor his online activities.

But the children, including a 15-year-old girl, were "savvy enough" not to get drawn into the sexual traps he was laying for them. Agnew was then stopped after a routine police safeguarding check, the court heard.

Agnew, 40, of Wainfleet Road, Skegness, admitted three offences of breaching a sexual harm prevention order and breaching a two-year suspended prison sentence. Amber Hobson, prosecuting, told the Hull court that the suspended sentence and sexual harm prevention order were imposed at Leicester Crown Court last year for offences of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

Police made an unannounced risk management visit to Agnew's Skegness home on February 16 this year and he threw himself to the floor and claimed that he needed to go to hospital. His mother handed over one mobile phone before leaving the room and shoving other mobiles into a pillow case under a duvet, but she did later hand them over. A laptop was also seized.

Agnew was asked for the password to the mobiles but he did not provide it. Police discovered that Agnew had been communicating with children under 16 on Snapchat and making requests for images of them.

He had also made sexual comments and described sexual activities but had no response to them. Agnew had a conversation with a 15-year-old girl and told her that he was a child. "The defendant deceived the child into having conversations with him," said Miss Hobson. "The risk of harm to her was very serious."

The children seemed to have not been taken in by the deception, but there was potential for severe harm. Agnew had installed software on his phone that allowed him to hide his IP address and had a virtual private network which allowed him to change the IP address and anonymise his online activities, in breach of the order. His internet activity history had to be available under the order so that checks could be made by police.

Cathy Kioko-Gilligan, mitigating, said that Agnew had made admissions and pleaded guilty. He had been in custody on remand.

Recorder Peter Makepeace QC told Agnew: "You were using Snapchat to contact girls under 16. You pretended to be a child yourself. You furnished a photo of a child under 16 and were requesting pictures of the victims to be sent through to you."

Agnew sent suggestive text messages and had discussions of a personal and intimate nature and was chatting with a 15-year-old girl. He used the decoy photograph of a child "to lend some credibility to your claim to be a child" during his chats. "It's extremely fortunate that all the children seemed to be savvy enough not to have engaged too far with you," said Recorder Makepeace.

Agnew was jailed for three years and nine months. The sentence included a consecutive 18 months for breaching the suspended sentence.

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A sadist has been jailed for 12 years for abusing a child decades ago. Brian Clargo subjected his victim to torture-like abuse in Oxfordshire and Europe. She was made to strip her clothes and was beaten by the now 57-year-old, a court heard. He played what was referred to in court as the nipple cripple game with her and repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl. In a victim personal statement summarised to Reading Crown Court by prosecutor Walton Hornsby, the now mum-of-four said the abuse had overshadowed her life. She had suffered severe post-traumatic stress since the ages of 12-13. Mr Hornsby summarised: She described frequent nightmares which, as I understand it, still occur, with her flashbacks to incidents that occurred when she was a little girl. She has described a form of paranoia about the possibility of the defendant getting into her bedroom. In May, Clargo was found guilty of five counts of indecent assault and child cruelty, committed in both the UK and Europe. He was acquitted on other similar charges. Sentencing, Recorder Stuart Trimmer QC derided the defendants abuse of his vulnerable victim as dreadful behaviour committed over a matter of years. The judge said: It is said you werent sadistic and made bad decisions. I reject that and form the view you became just that; sadistic. Put very shortly, you wrecked her life. She may recover, but you did her enormous damage. Karlia Lykourgou, mitigating, said her client had suffered tough love in his own childhood, which may have influenced his own behaviour. The offences dated back more than two decades, he had not been in trouble since and had fully cooperated with the police, she added. Following the sentencing, Recorder Trimmer praised the victim for the clarity of her evidence and for seeing the process through to the end. He also commended the officer in the case, DC Lucy McDonagh, for her fair investigation in very difficult circumstances. Clargo, of Mablethorpe, Lincs., will serve half his sentence before he is eligible for release. He will be on the sex offenders register for life.

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A Lincoln man has been jailed for 21 years after being found guilty of several sexual offences including rape. Shaun Otter, 52, of Shakespeare Street, appeared at Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing today, July 18.

He had already been found guilty in relation to a total of 11 offences which took place on June 8. In addition to his custodial sentence, Otter was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, meaning he will have to keep to sex offender notification requirements for life.

Detective Inspector Lee Nixon, of Lincolnshire Police's Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit said: "I would like to pay tribute to the victim and her bravery in coming to us. We know it's an incredibly daunting thing to do and therefore we owe it to every victim to treat them with sensitivity and respect, and to do everything we can to make sure that perpetrators, like Otter, are brought before the court to face justice.

"This sentence is not only a punishment for Otter, but a message to perpetrators of the consequences of their actions. We hope it gives confidence to survivors that we will relentlessly pursue anyone responsible for such abhorrent acts, regardless of if it happened recently or decades ago.

"If you have been a victim of sexual assault, please know that you will be taken seriously if you come forward. Whether or not you decide to come to us, there is support available, and we would like to take the opportunity to highlight that."

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A 51-year-old paedophile was lured to an address in Hull as part of a sting operation and found with condoms and Haribo sweets.

Chef Darren Johnstone, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with teenage girls and pretended to be a 20-year-old. He was interviewed by Humberside Police for offences in 2018 and while under investigation he repeatedly tried to engage in sexual communication with more girls in 2020.

Grimsby Crown Court heard Johnstone who has "learning difficulties and low-level intelligence" did not realise the girls were decoys used by a paedophile hunter group called Elite Team. Michele Stuart-Lofthouse said the defendant was still under investigation for the 2018 offences when he was again arrested in 2020.

Johnstone also admitted possessing indecent images of children on his phone after it was seized on his initial arrest. She said a "decoy teenager" was set up by the paedophile hunter group who created a dating app.

Despite being told by the decoy teenager she was 14 years old, Johnstone sent a total of 605 messages, mostly of a sexual nature. He also sent images of his private area.

Ms Stuart-Lofthouse said: "The images were extremely sexual." The decoy agreed to meet him in Brisbane Street, Hull, where the paedophile gang waited for him.

He was arrested by police, who seized a quantity of condoms, Haribo sweets and 300 cash. The prosecutor said he could not offer an explanation for his behaviour, but admitted sending images.

"He said he had never had sexual relations or a girlfriend and had never spoken to a girl the way he did. He admitted talking to the 14-year-old girl and asking for sex," the prosecutor said.

While committing the second set of offences in 2020, Johnstone, of Cleethorpes, had described himself to a 13 year old girl, as a 20-year-old man. There were four separate occasions in which he sent images to the girls, which were in fact, decoys, used by the child protection group.

For Johnstone, Gordon Stables said: "The court is not dealing with a fully-functioning adult. The level of understanding is not there."

He said his client had attended a special school and when he was 16 years old took up a work placement at the St James' Hotel in Grimsby. He said: "They knew his limitations and he remained there for nearly 30 years."

He submitted psychiatric doctors reports which highlighted the defendant's "borderline understanding." Mr Stables said: "He could not understand that these decoys did not exist." He added the client thought he had been discharged following the first offences.

Recorder Alex Menary said it was "an exceptional case" and he was guided by the psychiatric reports on the level of Johnstone's intelligence. He said three years in prison would not provide adequate safety from the risk he posed.

He imposed a two-year community order in which he will attend 43 days of sex offender management and 55 rehabilitation days. He imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order to limit his access to the internet and ban any contact with children.

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Officers have charged a man under new legislation which was introduced last month to protect victims of domestic abuse. Benjamin Flatters, aged 31, of Dorchester Road, Spalding was charged with non-fatal strangulation following an alleged assault, reported on June 23. Flatters appeared at Lincoln Magistrates Court on July 1 where he pleaded not guilty to the strangulation charge. Flatters pleaded guilty to three other charges of criminal damage to property, threats to damage property and failure to comply with notification requirements of the sex offenders register. He was remanded into custody and will face trial for the strangulation charge at a later date. The charge of non-fatal strangulation comes as a result of the creation of a new offence under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 which was introduced nationally on June 7 2022. Crucially, the new offence carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. Victims of strangulation may be left with little or no physical marks meaning previously, a charge of actual bodily harm or common assault may have been applied, which did not reflect the serious nature of the act. DI Richard Nethercott said: The new legislation is potentially life changing and lifesaving. If found guilty of non-fatal strangulation, a perpetrator will face up to five years in prison. Along with non-fatal suffocation, its a form of abuse that we sadly sometimes see in a domestic setting, where a perpetrator will use it to intimidate and control their victim. Its terrifying to endure and incredibly dangerous. We are committed to using our powers to tackle abuse, including non-fatal strangulation and non-fatal suffocation. The new legislation is an important step forwards in tackling violence against women and girls.

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AN "EXTREMELY dangerous" sex offender who escaped from prison has been captured following a frantic manhunt. Cops had urged anyone who spotted predator Gary Butcher, 55, to call them immediately after he absconded from HMP North Sea Camp in Boston, Lincolnshire on Tuesday. The thug had been sentenced to life behind bars for aggravated burglary. He also has a number of convictions for sex attacks on women. Detectives spent three days tracking him down, and he was finally arrested by an officer from Derbyshire Constabulary shortly after 11.30am on Friday. Butcher was found in the Swadlincote area of Derbyshire after approaching the officer to hand himself in. He remains in police custody tonight. A 56-year-old man was arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of assisting an offender. He too remains in police custody. Butcher will be returned to closed prison conditions while the investigation continues. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Rachael Cox said: "Following a round-the-clock investigation to bring Butcher into custody, I'm pleased to be able to say that we have now apprehended this man. "At this stage, we don't believe he's committed further offences. "Our appeal has had huge support from the public, and we're very grateful for that, and would like to say thank you to everyone who shared our appeal or provided information. "This was very much a collaborative effort with our officers and staff working tirelessly with neighbouring forces and partner agencies to apprehend Butcher." Officers had warned earlier this week that Butcher may try to "charm his way into homes". Speaking on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Kate Anderson said she believes he is "extremely dangerous". Butcher's prison dash came just three months after fellow sex offender Paul Robson escaped from the same jail. Robson was jailed in 2000 after breaking into a woman's home and sexually assaulting her. He was eventually found in Skegness following a four-day search.

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A Bourne man who admitted a string of sexual offences after being caught by a "decoy" at a church has been jailed for four years and eight months. Anthony Fiddler, 38, of Recreation Road, Bourne, was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years after he pleaded guilty to eight sexual charges.

Fiddler admitted having sexual communications with a 15-year-old boy between 17 May 2021 and 24 May 2021. In a second charge relating to the same child Fiddler pleaded guilty to causing him to watch a sexual act on 24 May 2021.

Fiddler also admitted two charges of attempted sexual communication with girls aged 12 and 14 between 24 May 2021 and 25 May 2021. He also pleaded guilty to a fifth charge of attempting to incite a 14-year-old girl to engage in a sexual act between the same dates.

Lincoln Crown Court heard the girls aged 12 and 14 were in fact decoys. Fiddler also admitted three further charges of making indecent photographs of children between August 2000 and November 2020.

The charges related to 124 images in the most serious category of A, 86 category B images and 630 category C images. Caroline Bradley, prosecuting, said the offences arose out of online contacts made by Fiddler with one teenage boy and two decoys pretending to be girls aged under-16.

Miss Bradley told the court Fiddler made contact with a 15-year-old boy after seeing an advert for gardening services. The court heard Fiddler requested pictures from the two decoys and sent one a sexual image of himself.

Miss Bradley said Fiddler was caught after he arranged to meet one of the decoys at a church in Bourne. The civilian decoy was present along with the police when Fiddler arrived.

Police found indecent images of children when they analysed Fiddler's mobile phone. Karen Walton, defending Fiddler, had asked for sentence to be adjourned for the preparation of a probation report and to consider if Fiddler was suitable for treatment in the community.

The court heard Fiddler had just one previous conviction for exposure in 2005. But Miss Walton said Fiddler had come to court prepared for prison.

"He is struggling come to terms with what he has done," Miss Walton added. Passing sentence Judge John Pini QC told Fiddler the really concerning aspect of his offending was that he was going to meet the decoy at a church in Bourne.

"Of great concern is that you arranged to meet one of the girls at Bourne Abbey Church," Judge Pini said. "I do not at this stage assess you as dangerous, but that is the direction in which you are travelling."

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A Pinchbeck man who attempted to engage in sexual conversations with three people he thought were under-age girls was today jailed for 16 months.

Jason Hildred (48) of Walpole Close in Pinchbeck, was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Hildred began swapping messages with someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl called Dani on the Chat Avenue site in November 2020.

Noel Philo, prosecuting, said Dani was in reality a member of an organisation which seeks to protect children.

During the social media messages, which also occurred on WhatsApp, Hildred tried to instigate sexual conversations, Mr Philo told the court.

Hildred also got in contact with another social media user who he thought was an 11-year-old girl called Izzy.

Mr Philo said that person in fact belonged to the same organisation and Hildred again tried to engage in sexual conversations with them.

The court heard Hildred had previously been sentenced to a three year community order in 2013 for attempting to meet a girl aged under-16 following sexual grooming.

Hildred was arrested in June 2021 and admitted being "totally stupid" when he interviewed about the more recent offences

Mr Philo said Hildred was granted bail but was caught again later in 2021, this time by a police decoy who was pretending to be a 14-year-old girl.

Hildred was remanded into custody and pleaded guilty to three offences of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Nicholas Bleaney, mitigating, told the court all three offences were "attempts" where no physical contact took place and Hildred was entitled to maximum credit for his guilty pleas.

Mr Bleaney added: "His supervision for the previous offence ended in 2015 and it was five years before the first of this contact in November 2020.

"The genesis of this behaviour was lockdown. He was working on the railways, he has since lost his job, but found himself all alone with no distractions.

"At the same time his girlfriend was dying of cancer, she has since died. She was a lady from Thailand."

Mr Bleaney told the court Hildred also fell victim to a con artist to whom he handed over his life savings of 70,000.

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Hildred he had to take into consideration that none of his victims were real children.

But Judge Hirst said he could not pass a suspended jail sentence because of Hildred's previous conviction and his offending while on bail.

The judge told Hildred: "What you did was exactly the same thing with someone you thought was a 14-year-old girl."