A pervert who sent pictures of sex toys to a ‘teenage boy’ before arranging to meet up was arrested by undercover police when he arrived at a railway station.

David Hall signed up an online dating app and made contact with ‘Jay’ without realising he was messaging an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year-old boy.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 60-year-old sent a picture of his headboard and talked about using sex toys on the teenager when they arranged to meet up.

Elisha Marsay, prosecuting, said Hall was arrested when he turned up at Hartlepool railway station and a search of his home revealed a collection of sex toys identical to those in the photographs.

Miss Marsay said officers were also able to identify the headboard from a photograph that the defendant sent to the ‘teenage’ boy.

Hall, of Tynebrooke Avenue, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a boy under 16 following grooming between January 18 and March 9, 2023.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said the charges were classified as attempts as it was an undercover officer he was speaking to but it was ‘clear what was on his mind’ at the time.

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He said: “I have to accept that he intended to carry out the sexual activity.”

Recorder Andrew Smith MBE said: “I don’t know what would have happened if you actually met up with a 14-year-old boy.”

Hall was sentenced to 16 months in custody suspended for two years, ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and was made subject to a four-month electronically monitored curfew between 7pm and 6am.

He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and made subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention order.