A paedophile booked a hotel room to abuse three young children, a court heard.

Robert Badcock, of Main Street, Witchford, spoke about his sexual fantasies and what he would do to the children sexually.

Badcock, 59, described his intentions during a social media chat with two men in a same sexual relationship, Cambridge Crown Court was told.

He explained what he wanted to do with their three children – a girl aged six and two boys aged three and 10.

However, the children were fictional and the men were undercover police officers.

He described how he loved seeing “little children running around naked” and also added that he loved “little girls in summer dresses”.

Badcock suggested meeting the men and their children regularly, three or four times a year, and told them he would find it “difficult to keep my hands off them”.

There were also texts and phone calls made, with Badcock going as far as booking a hotel at an agreed location for a certain date and time.

However, on June 30, a final phone call was made in which Badcock withdrew his intention to carry out the abuse and cancelled the hotel booking.

Contact between him and the undercover officers then ended on July 1.

Badcock was arrested and gave a pre-prepared statement, in which he admitted chatting with the men.

But he said he had booked the hotel to make them believe he was going to visit so their chats would continue.

He explained he had no intention of actually going through with meeting the men or abusing their children, adding that the messages exchanged were just “pure fantasy”.

However, Badcock later admitted three counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to comply with his sex offenders register requirements by not telling police of an alias name he had used on the chat site.

At Cambridge Crown Court on September 17, he was jailed for three years and three months.

Wisbech Standard: Robert Badcock, of Main Street, Witchford, spoke about his sexual fantasies and what he would do to the children sexually.Robert Badcock, of Main Street, Witchford, spoke about his sexual fantasies and what he would do to the children sexually. (Image: Cambs Police)

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

DC Decca Riondino, who investigated, said: “Badcock’s behaviour was completely inappropriate and shocking; using the internet in this way will not be tolerated.

“In this case he was intercepted by undercover officers.

“We had to review the evidence, conduct further lines of enquiry and act quickly to manage the risk posed to the community.

“This was a joint effort led by our Public Protection Unit and specialised departments. “Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”