Jail for South Shields pervert snared by paedophile hunters

Daniel Sloan thought he had been having secret online chats and arranging an illegal meeting with schoolgirl Layla, who he sent graphic photographs and illicit messages, while telling her not to tell her mother.

When the 31-year-old realised he had been duped, Sloan kicked a member of the undercover organisation who had posed as the potential victim online then got arrested.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Sloan, who was already a convicted sex offender, had got in contact with the girl's profile "almost immediately" after it was set up on a social media site named Nearby in January.

Despite being told "Layla's" tender age, he continued to the conversation on Whatsapp, sent her explicit sexual pictures, asked if he they could perform sex acts on each other and encouraged her to carry out sex acts.

When Sloan arranged to meet the girl he was confronted by paedophile hunter group Keeping Kids Safe and kicked out at one of their members before he was arrested.

Sloan, of Olive Street, South Shields, pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming and common assault.

The court heard he has a previous conviction for indecent assault in 2004, on an adult victim, which resulted in him receiving a hospital order and he has offences of violence on his record.

Judge Sarah Mallett sentenced him to three years behind bars with a four year extended licence period "for the protection of the public".

He must sign the Sex Offenders' Register and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for life.

Judge Mallett told him: "The organisation set up a profile on January 7, 2018, on behalf of someone purporting to be Layla, aged eight.

"As soon as that profile was live, there was almost immediate contact from you and the chat then quickly became sexual.

"You also asked if her parents knew she was online and when she said no you suggested you both went on to communicate by Whatsapp.

"You told her not to tell her mother.

"You made indecent suggestions to her and also then attended the meeting place.

"You became agitated on meeting the person who was behind that profile and you kicked his leg, causing redness".

Judge Mallett said the speed that Sloan got in touch with the profile and then turned the conversation sexual was "troubling".

The judge added: "There is a significant risk you will commit further specified offences and by doing so you will cause serious physical or psychological harm to one or more people."

The court heard Sloan has a personality disorder and long history of mental health problems.