A man who took a bag filled with sex toys and alcopops to meet a 13-year-old girl for "sex education" has been jailed.
Ronald Barton, 54, began chatting with who he thought was a young teenager called Poppy on Facebook messenger on July 7, 2021. The chat then moved to WhatsApp and turned sexual, with Barton sending the girl indecent images, arranging to meet for sexual activity, describing her "sex education" and calling her his student.
Unknown to Barton, of Millcroft in Otley, Poppy was actually a member of the vigilante group, Net Justice.
Read more: CCTV appeal after man victim of horrific assault on night out in Leeds
Prosecutor Carmel Pearson told Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday that the group was set up in order to apprehend people like Barton, who speak to underage children online. She said: "He started to talk to her and this continued. At first it was innocuous and he started to move to where they could talk away from Facebook - the Crown say in a way that could avoid detection. Numbers were exchanged and they began to talk on WhatsApp."
Although conversation was again innocent at first, it soon turned sexual. Poppy maintained that she was 13-years-old throughout.
Ms Pearson said: "It started with him asking if she played with herself and asked if she had ever seen a real penis. He told her he would provide her with sexual education and the suggestion came about how they could meet in order for the lessons to begin."
Barton sent "Poppy" three indecent images and told her she must keep what happened between them a secret. Ms Pearson said he also referred to her as a "student" and suggested "educating" her.
"Poppy" told Barton she lived with her grandmother, who would be out the following week and arrangements were made for him to go to the house on July 10. Barton, Ms Pearson said, referred to items he would take including alcohol "to help her relax" and sex toys, including one he said she could use for "homework."
Ms Pearson said: "He had with him a bag with sex toys, condoms and alcopops. Net Justice members were there to confront him and filmed it and asked what he was doing there. They challenged him...he wouldn't admit what went on between them. The police were called and he was arrested. He accepted what was put to him by the group."
At an adjourned plea, trial and preparation hearing, he pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming, attempting to cause a child to look at images of sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
Mitigating, Christopher Morton, said at the time of the offences, Barton was "isolated and was trying to start adult relationships and experienced rejection on a repeated basis and he became depressed."
Mr Morton said Barton had had Covid and was suffering the effects of Long Covid, which continued for some time . He told the court: "It was in these circumstances there was some significant depression and his life was at a low ebb. It was a relatively short period of time [that the offences took place over] and when he was approached [by Net Justice] he was compliant and made admissions to what had been going on."
The court heard Barton is a carer for his mother.
He was jailed for two years by His Honour Judge Christopher Batty who told him it was "really sad" that he was at court that day. He said: "It is sad of course for your mum who is devastated. It's a sad day for you because you have led a blameless life and are well thought of in your community, in your line of work. To your credit, some people have stood by you in light of this.
"The problem I have today is that while she ['Poppy'] doesn't exist, you did not know that. To you, she was a 13-year-old girl."
Barton was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and told he must serve up to half of his two-year sentence in custody before being released on licence.
Read next:
Brother and sister attacked woman with broken wine bottle in Leeds street
Police seal off Leeds Grand Theatre after serious sexual assault
Leeds cabbie calls out 'massive increase' in attacks on taxi drivers
Leeds baby girl fighting for her life after being born 13 weeks early
Horror as man has 'part of his ear bitten off' by masked gang in Leeds car park
