A pervert who hoped to meet a 14-year-old boy he had been grooming online was unwittingly communicating with paedophile hunters.
Adam Gill told the decoy child that he loved him and described himself as his father and talked about the sexual activities he would like them to engage in, a court heard.
The 47-year-old, who wanted the boy to come to his home for sex, was confronted by members of the group, The Underworld, at his Glazebury home in Warrington and police arrived and arrested him.
Gill admitted that a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed for a similar offence had only just expired.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that the online protection group set up the fake profile on Instagram of a 14-year-old boy living in Nottingham. On November 18 last year Gill messaged him and asked if he was gay and into “older guys” and said he was 47.
Olivia Belle, prosecuting, said that Gill said he wanted to “kiss you, cuddle you” and wanted to touch him. “Can I be your daddy?” he asked.
He also asked if the boy could come to his home in Warrington and requested that he send him a selfie of himself. When he received one Gill told him that his lips needed kissing. “I hope we can meet.”
The conversations moved to WhatsApp and Gill wrote, “It’s Daddy Adam. I want to kiss and cuddle you. I love you.”
The court heard that Gill sent explicit messages about what he wanted to do and spoke about him being his son and giving him Christmas presents. He also messaged him on Facebook.
Miss Belle said that on November 24 two members of The Underworld called at Gill’s home in Warrington Road and when confronted he admitted, “I know I should not be doing that as I have just finished my licence after five years.”
He was arrested the next day and admitted his offending behaviour.
He pleaded guilty to one offence of attempted sexual communication with a child and three of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He received a community order in February 2019 at Bolton Crown Court for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Jeremy Rawson, defending, said that Gill has cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and mental health issues.
He said the defendant had pleaded guilty and this would be his first custodial sentence. “He has been in custody since November 25 which has been a wake-up call and has taken a number of courses.”
Jailing him for three years Judge Stuart Driver, KC, said the case involved grooming and a disparity in age between him and the decoy profile. “It is aggravated by you requesting a naked photograph of him.”
The judge pointed out that Gill told a probation officer that he intended travelling to the child’s home to have sex.
He ordered Gill to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and he imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.