A depraved man sent sexually explicit social messages to people he thought were girls aged between 12 and 15 before being detained in Bury town centre by paedophile hunters.

Bob Lucas, 42, of no fixed address, sent the disgusting messages on Facebook and WhatsApp over the course of a number of days between May and June this year.

At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, prosecutor Julian Goode read out some of the vile messages Lucas exchanged with seven users he thought were girls aged under 16.

The became sexual in nature and in one case asked if “she” wanted to “try bondage”.

He also requested photographs, brought up the subject of virginity with some users and was found to have sent a selfie of himself.

Mr Goode said he then arranged to meet one of the “girls” in Bury town centre on June 11.

But he was met by a group of paedophile hunters, who detained him before police arrived and arrested him.

In court, it was heard that Lucas had committed a number of similar offences in recent years.

He pleaded guilty to seven counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order, and one count each of attempting to meet a child following grooming and attempting to incite/cause a child aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity.

Defending, Michael Lea, said that Lucas pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to the offences but accepted the potential danger of his crimes despite there being no real victims involved.

In sentencing, Recorder Neil Usher pointed to his criminal record and said that previous sentences have not had an impact in changing his behaviour.

Lucas was jailed for eight years in total, five of which he will serve in custody and the remaining three on licence.

A new 10-year sexual harm prevention order was issued to him too.

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