Man aged 46 told ‘girl, 13’ they could have sex in his bed

A MAN was taken to a police station by a so-called paedophile hunter group after he sent a sexually graphic message to someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

He also told the decoy she could have sex in his bed.

Lee Evans, 46, of Treherbert, attended Ton Pentre police station on February 23 while being pursued by members of a paedophile hunter group.

They disclosed to officers he had been in contact with someone purporting to be an underage teenager but who was in fact a decoy based in Ireland who had passed messages and texts to colleagues in South Wales.

Prosecutor James Evans told a sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on

Friday that upon realising the seriousness of the situation the defendant said: “I am going to go to prison for this.”

His home was searched and a mobile phone was found which contained messages to the decoy.

The first contact with the decoy began on January 9 and her profile picture clearly showed an underage girl.

She told Evans she was 13 years old and he responded by saying she could “have sex in his bed”.

He also told the decoy he would “love to take her knickers off” and “wanted to put his c*** inside her”. Evans took part in another conversation with the decoy in which he made graphic sexual comments.

During his police interview the defendant admitted what he had done but denied ever having intentions of meeting up with a child.

He told officers he “got off” on the conversation and admitted performing a sex act on himself.

He said he “needed help” and admitted sending a photograph of his genitals to someone else.

Evans, of Bryn Wyndham Terrace, Tynewydd, later pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard he was of previous good character.

Defence barrister Giles Hayes described his client as a “hard-working and family man”.

He said the defendant had become “isolated and lonely” but recognised a need to “challenge his behaviour”.

Sentencing, Judge Richard Twomlow said: “Your intentions were quite clear from what you said.

“It is a serious matter and deserves a custodial sentence.”

But the judge said the defendant’s rehabilitation could be dealt with in the community because he had shown motivation to “make sure this sort of thing doesn’t happen again”.

Evans was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out a 40-day rehabilitation activity requirement and was made subject to sexual offender notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.