A would-be paedophile who tried to meet a 13-year-old ‘girl’ will be sentenced next month.

Paul Hearn, 55, of Redbridge, Stantonbury, near Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court in March to attempted sexual communication with a child, facilitating the commission of a sex offence after grooming and making indecent images of children.

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The charges at the lower court alleged that Hearn sent an explicit image and vile messages to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl but was, in fact, an adult operating a decoy online account.

At Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, Hearn’s barrister Peter du Feu asked the judge to adjourn sentence for the preparation of psychiatric reports. Judge Ian Pringle QC fixed the date of the next hearing for June 24.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward