A sex offender has been jailed after grooming and attempting to meet a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
Nigel Feckey travelled from his home in Nottinghamshire to Gwent, Wales, after making arrangements to meet the ‘teenager’.
He was arrested at Caerphilly railway station by officers from Gwent Police after they were tipped off by members of an online activist group.
Nottinghamshire Police launched an investigation after information was passed to detectives.
It was discovered during a detailed investigation that Feckey had also sent explicit messages to the person he believed was aged 14, as well as attempting to groom another individual he believed was 13.
Sixty-three-year-old Feckey, of Fredrick Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child after grooming and two counts of attempting to incite a child into sexual activity.
At Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (12 January) he was jailed for a total of four years and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He must also sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.
Detective Constable Jason Jenkins, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Feckey clearly believed he was in contact with a child when he sent these sexually explicit messages.
“Worse still, he tried to meet up with one of these ‘children’.
“When we began to investigate his online activity we discovered he had sent a number of vile messages.
“He very clearly poses a significant risk to the welfare of vulnerable young people and I am pleased he has now been jailed for these offences.
“I hope this case also serves as a warning to other people who think they can groom and exploit children. There’s a high chance we will find out about it and they will end up behind bars like Feckey.”