A PERVERT was caught trying to engage in sexual communication with a decoy 'child' as part of a police sting.

Thames Valley Police set up a fictional profile for a 12-year-old girl named 'Molly' in a bid to snare offenders online.

As part of that undercover operation the child decoy communicated with Benjamin Robinson.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing hearing yesterday how the 46-year-old had been in contact with the fictional child in October last year.

They had a number of conversations in which he asked her 'to kiss and cuddle her' and asked her to send photographs to him.

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He also talked about his fantasies with the 12-year-old who was really an adult police officer.

After his arrest he claimed he was 'involved in role play.'

Police went on to find one indecent image of a child in category C - the lowest category in terms of severity.

At the sentencing hearing yesterday his defence barrister said Robinson was 'utterly devastated and ashamed of his actions and what that has done to his family.'

Sentencing, Judge Nigel Daly ordered Robinson be made subject to a community order for 18 months.

That order will include 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement and 120 hours of unpaid work.