A WEST Yorkshire man who attempted to arrange a meeting so that he could sexually abuse children has been jailed for 14 years.

Petar Hristov, of Castleford, made contact with a woman online and went on to demonstrate a serious and disturbing sexual interest in very young children.

Leeds Crown Court heard he believed he was in contact with a mother who could provide access to young children.

But his online chat was actually held with officers from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit. 

Appearing before the court on Friday, the 29-year-old was found guilty of intentionally causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child under the age of 13.

The court heard that between December 13 last year and February 3, he had communicated online with a woman and asked her to subject the children to sexual abuse.

He then arranged to meet her with the view to sexually abusing the children himself.

However, this was part of a covert investigation. 

Hristov was arrested by West Yorkshire Police’s Online Investigations Team in February and subsequent examination of his devices revealed he was also in possession of an indecent moving image of a child.

Hristov was also handed a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order.