Locations
Seneca Street, Bristol, BS5
Description
A Bristol man thought he was persistently pestering girls aged 12 for sex.
But in reality Adam Pugh, of Seneca Street in St George, was making lewd suggestions to adults, either paedophile hunters or undercover police.
Pugh - who has developmental delay akin to mild learning difficulties - was also found to have downloaded and shared indecent images of children.
Bristol Crown Court heard that, since his offending emerged, he has given himself a self-imposed ban from the internet.
The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, two charges of arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.
Judge Euan Ambrose handed him an eight-year extended sentence comprising of four years' custody and four years' extended licence.
He told Pugh: "I am quite satisfied you are dangerous.
"This was persistent offending, undeterred by your arrest.
"You had no way of knowing those you were speaking to were not real children.
"You pose a significant risk of serious harm to children."
Pugh was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop his reoffending.
James Haskell, prosecuting, said in June 2019 Pugh chatted online to a girl who told him she was 12, and his conversation became increasingly sexualised.
The 'child' was in fact a member of paedophile hunter group Innocent Voices.
Later in the same month Pugh chatted online to another 'child' aged 12 who was also an adult hunter, discussed sex with her, talked about meeting up and sent her a photo of his private parts.
The hunter group then confronted Pugh, police arrested him and he was released pending further investigation.
But the court heard that, once released, Pugh was at it again - this time chatting to another 'child' aged 12 who turned out to be an undercover police officer.
This time he sent the supposed youngster a video of himself engaging in a sex act.
He also talked about meeting her after lockdown to have sex.
During the course of a police investigation it was discovered Pugh had downloaded and distributed child abuse images, which he admitted and asked the court to take into consideration.
Susan Cavender, defending, said: "He has given up all internet access.
"He now has a Nokia with no internet.
"He asks me to assure you of his genuine remorse.
"He has mild to moderate learning difficulties.
"He has made appalling mistakes."
The court heard Pugh, who has limited experience of travel from Bristol, never intended to meet the 'youngsters' and talk of such amounted to fantasy.