A PAEDOPHILE has been locked up for his vile activities online in which he tried to arrange meeting up with ‘children’ for sexual activity.

David Dutton used the internet in Warrington to commit sexual offences against people he believed were children.

They were in fact decoy accounts, with the 67-year-old caught out in a sting by those looking to root out online offenders.

Dutton was subsequently charged with three counts of attempted sexual communications with a child and three of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

He appeared to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday, June 23, with Sarah Badrawy, representing the prosecution, explained the facts of the case to the court.

All of the offences – against three separate victims – were committed in August last year.

One ‘child’ with whom the defendant communicated with in a sexual manner was asked for a photograph of herself.

Dutton also told her she was ‘gorgeous’ and how he wished he was younger so he could ‘take her out’, while he also told her that he was ‘falling for her’.

Another was told by the defendant that she was gorgeous, and she too was requested to send a photograph of herself.

The third was also told by Dutton that she was gorgeous and was the subject of photo requests, with the pervert also discussing having sexual intercourse with her.

In all of the cases, defined by the charges he admitted, Dutton’s sexual communications were intentional and for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

In each of them, he also did not reasonably believe that the person with whom he was communicating was aged 16 or over.

With each of the ‘children’, there was also an attempt by Dutton to arrange a meet-up in order to engage in sexual activity.

The defendant, now of York Avenue in Blackpool, pleaded guilty to all six charges and was sentenced by judge Simon Berkson to three years in prison.

He must also abide by sex offender registration and notification requirements with the police indefinitely, as well as the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years.