Darren Rybak 52

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A MAN caught by a group of 'paedophile hunters' attempting to meet a teenage girl has had his sentencing put back.

Darren Rybak was stung by the group at Barrow's railway station after he exchanged messages with a 13-year-old girl who turned out to be a decoy.

A video of the sting was posted on social media by the group Elusive Child Protection Unit.

Rybak, 50, of Nelson Street in Barrow, admitted attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was due to be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on Tuesday but did not show up.

A warrant was issued but it later transpired he had told his solicitors he was unwell.

He is now due to be sentenced on Friday.

In the video Rybak is confronted by members of the group outside the railway station, who claim he has arrived there to meet a girl who has travelled more than two hours from Manchester.

Rybak tells the group he was going to take the 'girl' back to his home to 'watch movies'.

He also admits sending explicit images of himself to the decoy account.

Rybak also tells the group he would class himself as a 'paedophile'.

The dating site account he had communicated with was operated by a member of the group.

Until his sentence he is subject to interim notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act

Police in Cumbria have made it clear they do not condone the methods of 'paedophile hunter' groups.

Peter McCall, the county's police and crime commissioner, said: "It's a difficult area - what we don't want is people going around taking the law into their own hands.

"But there is no doubt information they have supplied has led to catching and prosecuting some offenders.

"The message is: if you do have information concerning these online predators feed it to the police and they can look into it."

A spokesman said: "Cumbria Constabulary will act appropriately on any information which is reported.

"However, the Constabularys position on so-called paedophile hunter groups reflects the position of the National Police Chiefs Council, in that we understand the desire to protect children but any member of the public who has information about child sexual abuse, online or otherwise, should contact police so it can be investigated and bring offenders to justice."