A pervert began sex chats with two 13-year-old girls - but was in fact chatting to self-styled paedophile hunters.

Stuart Mason from Maidstone, thought he was grooming teenagers Leah and Daisy, who he met through the location-based social networking site, Skout.

But the 35-year-old wasn't prepared for the fact he was talking with vigilantes, Maidstone Crown Court has heard.

One of the groups tracked him to his home in Fern Hill Road, Maidstone and confronted him - after calling in the police.

Mason was then hounded out of his home and has since moved to Lennard Road, Folkestone.

But now a judge has jailed him for 12 months after he admitted four charges involving attempting to meet and engage in sexual talk with children.

Prosecutor Peter Forbes told how Mason had contacted 'Leah' after locating her on Skout between June and August 2019.

'I wish I never done it... Trust me, if I could turn back time, I bloody would!..'

Even though she had told him on several occasions she was 13 he sent her an explicit photograph.

Mason also asked for illicit pictures.

The court heard how the vigilantes tracked him down to Maidstone through clues he revealed in the chats.

Mr Forbes said it was only after his arrest that police discovered he had been exchanging messages with 'Daisy'.

He said he had almost identical discussions with the bogus teenager - not realising he was talking with an adult.

Mason later told police: "I wish I never done it... Trust me, if I could turn back time, I bloody would!"

Danny Moore, defending, said although it was "sexually deviant behaviour" - police found no illegal pictures on his iPhone - nor evidence of him making illegal searches for under-aged girls on line.

He added that after the confrontation, he was forced to move away from Maidstone after receiving threats.

Judge Stephen Thomas told him the offences were too serious for him to pass a non-custodial sentence.

"You contacted these two decoy girls with the purpose of grooming them and, although, you have not been charged with other offences you indicated you had also been in contact with a 14 year old."

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