A Cambridgeshire man who sent explicit messages and images to what he mistakenly thought was a 14-year-old girl has been jailed.
Iain Fleming, 53, from Millfield in Peterborough, began communicating with a decoy account run by an online child abuse activity group in March last year.
Despite the “girl” telling Fleming she was only 14 several times, he continued sexual communication with her and sent explicit images of himself.
Police were contacted by the child activist group, and officers swiftly arrested Fleming at his Peterborough home.
After seizing his mobile phone, it was also revealed Fleming had contacted what was believed to be a 15-year-old girl.
He continued with explicit conversations, telling her she had "a beautiful body" and that "he wanted to kiss her all over", according to Cambridgeshire Police
At Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (7 August), Fleming, of Millfield, Peterborough, was jailed for three years and two months.
He admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and one count of attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity.
DC Lloyd Davis, who investigated, said: "Fleming clearly poses a significant risk to children.
"Despite the ‘girl’ in this case being a decoy account, Fleming still attempted to prey on and groom what he believed was a child.
"This kind of sexual exploitation can have devastating effects on a child’s development, mental health and self-esteem that continue into adulthood, so I am pleased he is now behind bars for his crimes."
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