Nottinghamshire pervert begged 14-year-old online decoy 'girl' for sex

Martin Round first contacted "Amy" - an online decoy set up by self-styled paedophile hunters - on October 20, 2018, said prosecutor Dawn Pritchard at Nottingham Crown Court.

"Despite being told at the beginning of the chat, and multiple times after, that "Amy" was 14, he continued the conversations," she said.

Round said he wanted to take her virginity and suggested he would teach her how, during their three-month chat on the Scout and Whatsapp forums.

He said he "fancied and wanted her," and sent her intimate pictures of himself wearing women's underwear.

Round talked about meeting her at hotels in Burton-on-Trent and Derby, Ms Pritchard told the court, and said he was "willing to risk everything for her."

"He said he could get her pregnant when she was 18 and marry her when she was 20," she said.

The paedophile hunters, who set up the "Amy" profile, told police they confronted Round in Ilkeston, on January 18, 2019. When Round was arrested he made no comment in the interview.

Gregory Purcell, mitigating, said: "What was incited here could never happen."

He said Round, who has no previous convictions, has caring responsibilities and his partner left him after his arrest. No indecent images were found on his computers, and he presents a “medium” risk to the community.

"He understands full-well what he did was wrong," Mr Purcell said, adding that rehabilitation in the community would address his “inappropriate thinking.”

He said Round, who has learning difficulties, showed how “naive” he was by providing his real name and address to the paedophile hunters.

Round, 34, of Ryemere Close, Eastwood, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications, and attempting to incite sexual activity, with a child under 14.

Recorder Charles Falk told him: “You took the bait. You initiated contact. The decoy never led you on and never incited you to do anything you didn’t want to do. In my judgment you were continually grooming her.”

He jailed Round for 18 months and imposed a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Editor’s message: In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together.