A man who groomed a vulnerable 14-year-old boy on an internet dating site and took him to London has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Police tried to intercept 27-year-old Nick Williams’ car as he drove down the motorway with the teenager from the Bradford area.

Williams was arrested at a property in London where the boy was found upstairs, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Williams, of Wilmington Avenue, Chiswick, London, pleaded guilty to meeting the boy after sexual grooming and abducting him.

Prosecutor Matthew Bean told the court that nothing sexual happened between them.

It was the fifth court case in which the same boy was the victim of grooming and sexual offences by older men after contacting them on internet chat sites.

Prosecutor Matthew Bean said Williams and the teenager met up on an adult dating website called Flirts.

Williams found out his victim was a 14-year-old schoolboy but kept up the social relationship.

They were in regular contact on Facebook and by text message. In June, 2011, Williams travelled to West Yorkshire and took the boy to London.

After the boy was found by police his parents came to collect him and he was unharmed.

The court heard that Williams was bullied at boarding school and attempted suicide at 15.

He told the boy he was not coming to West Yorkshire after having second thoughts but the youngster replied: “I am suicidal and this has pushed me over the edge.”

Because of his own suicide attempt and troubled childhood, Williams felt compelled to keep the appointment, the court was told.

He recognised that the boy had been abused and badly treated but he did know at the time that he had been sexually exploited by other men.

Judge David Hatton QC sentenced Williams to 16 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with supervision.

He must sign on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.