Leighton Buzzard man caught by paedophile hunter posing as a 14-year-old girl is jailed

A Leighton Buzzard man who thought he was arranging to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex has been jailed.

Paul Peck, now 54, had ‘sexual and extremely explicit’ conversations with the decoy girl over the internet, who was created as a ruse by ‘paedophile hunters’. He planned to give her money for a bus fare so she could come to his home for sex, Luton crown court heard on Monday (January 9).

Prosecutor Daniel Siong said he asked for naked photos and videos of the girl, but the decoy told him her camera was broken. He also warned her not to tell anyone.

Peck, of Old Road, Leighton Buzzard, appeared for sentence having been convicted of attempted sexual communication with a child and arranging the commission of a child sex offence. The offences took place in 2019.

Defending, Micaila Williams asked for a suspended sentence. She said Peck was of previous good character. She said no illegal files or illegal images of children were found on his devices. She said the offences occurred over a short three week period in 2019 and no real child was harmed. Peck, she said, had attempted suicide and had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder.

Judge Rebecca Herbert jailed him for 42 months saying: “The only reason you were prevented from causing harm to a real 14-year-old girl was that she did not exist – she was a decoy.”

The judge went on: “The messages you sent were corrupting. You were predatory. You believed she was a 14 year old girl. Your behaviour was quite appalling.”

Peck must register as a sex offender and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.