A MAN who spoke to paedophile hunters posing as a schoolgirl has been acquitted of a sex offence.

Simon Bebbington denied attempting to incite a child in sexual activity between January 20 and February 10.

Jurors cleared the 26-year-old, of Portway, Banbury, of the charge at Oxford Crown Court.

During the trial, jurors were told John Stokes, of organisation Letzgo Hunting, created a fake profile pretending to be schoolgirl called Amy Johnson on social media site Tagged.

Bebbington, who was assisted in the dock by an intermediary, told jurors he meant nothing by sexual messages he sent online, claiming it was not 'for real'.