Man tracked down by paedophile hunters jailed

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Man tracked down by paedophile hunters jailed

A man who thought he was sending ******* messages to under-age ****** has been jailed.

Lee Knowles, 41, of no fixed address, was arrested in Skegness in February 2022 after paedophile-hunters tracked him down in a supermarket car park.

Lincoln Crown Court heard he had sent messages on

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, including to a decoy profile of a 13-year-old girl, which had been set up by the paedophile-hunting group.

Knowles was jailed for one year and two months after admitting four charges of attempting to engage in ******* communication with a child.

Lincoln Crown Court heard he had also been sending out friend requests on

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.

Neil Sands, prosecuting, said Knowles told the decoy, who was in fact an ******, that she was “pretty” and asked to see some photos.

Knowles also said “I would marry someone like you if a bit older” and added “I will take your **********”, the court heard.

Mr Sands said the messages showed Knowles was also in contact with a second decoy who he believed was a 13-year-old girl.

Further analysis of his phone showed Knowles had also been in contact with two other people who he believed were under-age ******.

Judge Sjolin Knight said the contact continued despite the age of the four profiles and his “messages quickly became *******”.

In mitigation, the court heard Knowles was “sofa surfing” and drinking heavily at the time of the offences and had no memory of contacting the decoy ******.

Knowles was also ordered to register as a **** offender for 10 years and made the subject of a ******* Harm Prevention Order for the same *******.

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