Paedophile made 370 mile trip to groom eight-year-old

A paedophile who travelled from Glasgow to Luton with a cuddly toy and condoms expecting to rape an eight-year-old girl yesterday received a 10-year sentence.

Robert Burns, 48, said he believed he had been exchanging explicit messages with the child’s mother via a child abuse website based in Russia.

But Luton Crown Court was told that Mr Burns, from Kelvinside, Glasgow, was caught in a police operation. He had been in online exchanges in which he said he liked girls aged nine to 12.

Mr Burns arrived by coach at Luton airport on 30 June, having travelled 370 miles to meet the girl, only to be arrested.

Prosecutor Martin Mulgrew said items including 48 condoms, a cuddly toy and a jewellery box were found on him.