A MAN fell for online ‘stings’ to catch adults attempting to contact underage girls for sex twice in the space of five months, a court heard.

Wayne Chester, 43, recently completed the custodial element of a 20-week prison sentence imposed at Durham Crown Court on May 5, after admitting attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity through grooming.

It stemmed from his sexualised online conversations with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl, culminating with him sending ‘her’ a photograph of his private parts.

The court heard in reality Chester, formerly of Cosgrove Avenue, Bishop Auckland, was conversing with a fictitious girl, ‘Phoebe Lees’.

Undercover police officers set up her false profile, as part of Operation Ascension, in early January.

But on his return to court Chester, now said to be living in Salford, Greater Manchester, admitted charges of attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

The court heard it related to him trying to meet what he thought was a girl aged 13 to 15, called Amelia, following online chat, last September.

He was, however, falling for a trap set by paedophile hunters Guardians of the North, as Amelia did not exist.

Chester was bailed to return to court for sentence on September 1, but he remains subject to registration as a sex offender, for seven years.