A man who was exposed in a sting by vigilante paedophile hunters has been given a community order.
Before Ipswich Crown Court was Jason Westrop, 36, of Kings Court, Hemsby, who admitted arranging or facilitating a child sex offence on October 31 last year and attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl, not reasonably believing she was over 16, following sexual grooming between October 28-November 1 last year.
Westrop was ordered to do 120 hours’ unpaid work, attend a 25-day rehabilitation programme, made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years and sign the sex offenders’ register.
Jamie Sawyer, prosecuting, said the charges arose out of a vigilante type case involving someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. He said after communicating with her, he arranged a meeting where he was confronted by vigilant paedophile hunters.
Thomas Quinton, for Westrop, said at the time of the offences his client was lonely after splitting up from his partner.
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