Description
Pervert Mahmoud Morad was snared by a paedophile hunter as he tried to meet an 11-year-old girl after grooming her online.
The 30-year-old Egyptian met the schoolgirl called Chloe on the internet.
He sent her sexual photographs before he travelled from his Stoke-on-Trent home to Burton to meet up.
But when he arrived, he was confronted by a group of paedophile vigilantes and he was arrested following an ugly confrontation.
Now Morad has been jailed for two-and-a-half years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
The court heard the defendant accessed an adult website called Nearby in November and became aware of someone posting under the name Chloe Howarth. She indicated she was aged 11 and posted a photograph to support the claim.
Morad asked Chloe to send him intimate pictures of herself and he sent sexual photographs before arranging to meet.
The defendant, who has no previous offences, denied attempting to cause or incite sexual exploitation of a child; attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act; and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. But he was convicted of all three charges after a trial this week.
Michael Edmonds, defending, said the defendant has now lost his good character and the convictions will have ruinous consequences.
Mr Edmonds added: It may be he is unlikely to reside in this country going forward.
It is very hard for him and his wife. It is going to be a matter of considerable distress to her that he is incarcerated and, in all likelihood, will be deported.
Judge David Fletcher said: You travelled with the intention at some stage of involving yourself in penetrative sexual activity with a child. There is no evidence to say it would have happened on the first occasion you met.
There were sexual images exchanged. The picture sent to her was particularly graphic in terms of what it was showing, and it was intended for a child aged only 11.
This was very bad behaviour by you. It wasnt just foolish, this was criminal behaviour.
You entered into these discussions, these chat logs, with someone, and I have no doubt you believed she was 11 years of age, and you continued to do that over a period of days before arranging to meet her.