Man who called 14-year-old sweet and sexy was snared by paedophile hunters

Vasile Lehaci, of Froghall Lane in Bewsey, told the girl she was sweet and sexy.

A member of a paedophile hunters group called Predator Closure set up a fake account on a chatroom, pretending to be a 14-year-old girl and waited to be contacted.

On Tuesday, Liverpool Crown Court heard how Lehaci, 27, made initial contact by saying 'hello' to the girl.

The man responded 'hi I'm Lily and I'm 14'.

Kate Gaskell, prosecuting, said: "The defendant replied with his name and said he was 27 years old.

"128 pages of text messages were exchanged during a two-week period ­– many of these complimented Lily.

"He told her she was 'sweet and sexy'."

The court was told how Lehaci asked the girl for 'a kiss' and said 'it would be their little secret'.

He then asked her to send him a picture of her wearing no clothes.

Lehaci sent 'Lily' a photo of himself fully-clothed and the decoy sent him a picture of a fully-clothed woman.

He also told he had 'erotic thoughts about her' when looking at her picture.

A meet up was organised for April 13 in Warrington so they could go 'drinking and dancing' but the location changed to Morrisons in Widnes.

Members of Predators Closure approached Lehaci and asked who he was meeting.

He replied 'someone who is 17' but then admitted she was 14 when confronted.

The group attempted to detain him but he managed to run off, saying 'it was only a joke'.

Lehaci handed himself into Warrington Police Station the following day.

The Romanian national, who appeared at court via videolink, has no previous convictions.

Mark Lever, defending, said: "There has been no satisfactory explanation for this.

"I do not think I can say anything that may persuade the court of anything other than custody.

"It is right that when he handed himself into police he said this was 'something of a laugh'.

"By handing himself in this meant he was apprehended earlier.

"He is at risk of deportation and says an immigration officer has been to visit him in prison."

He pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, attempting to engage a child in sexual activity and attempting to communicate sexually with a child.

Judge Sophie McKone, said: "When you went to Widnes you were fully expecting to meet meet a 14-year-old.

"There is no doubt there was an expectation that sexual activity would take place between you and the girl although there were no messages detailing this.

"You ran off and handed yourself in to the police station – I believe this was for self-preservation not because of any remorse for what you had done.

"However, it meant you were apprehended sooner.

"You have shown very little insight into what you have done."

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Judge McKone handed Lehaci a 12-month prison sentence, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and he must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.