A BRADFORD man has been jailed for sending sexual messages to what he thought was a schoolgirl in the USA - but the social media account had been created by a paedophile hunters’ group.

Steven Bates, 52, of Easington Avenue, Buttershaw, thought he was sending messages to a 13-year-old girl called ‘Kelsey’ over social media. But ‘Kelsey’ was fictitious and the messages he received from her were sent by a USA-based paedophile hunters’ group.

Bates sent increasingly graphic messages of what he would do to ‘Kelsey’ sexually if they met.

The court heard that, in the messages, Bates wanted to have sex with ‘Kelsey’ during a forthcoming trip to England she had planned to visit her relatives.

Jayne Beckett, prosecuting, told the court conversations took place between Bates and the decoy teenage girl from the USA.

She added Bates claimed his intention in sending messaging to the fictitious girl was to ‘out the paedophile hunters and expose them for their activities’.

When they received the sexually explicit messages from Bates, the USA paedophile hunters group contacted an English equivalent group who eventually contacted police about Bates’ conduct online.

She added Bates showed a ‘very clear intention’ to meet the decoy in the chats.

Bates and ‘Kelsey’ were exchanging messages on Instagram in May 2021 and he last made contact with ‘Kelsey’ on May 29, 2021.

He was arrested on June 13 last year and he knew the reason why the police had come to arrest him, Bradford Court was told on Tuesday.

Abdul Shakoor, mitigating, said Bates maintained his innocence in the pre-sentence report and has a caring responsibility for his wife. Mr Shakoor added Bates suffers from his own health difficulties.

Mr Shakoor said: “He has never previously been into custody. It will have an impact on him quite considerably.”

Bates was convicted following a trial in January this year.

He was jailed for two years and nine months for one count of attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13 for penetrative sexual activity with him.

Sentencing, Judge Neil Davey QC told Bates: “Your intention was penetrative sex with a 13-year-old girl.

“’Kelsey’ was fictitious, a construct of a paedophile hunters’ group from the USA.

“You gave up contact with ‘Kelsey’ before you were arrested, albeit not long before.

“There are a number of mitigating factors; no relevant previous convictions and the full offence was never committed.”