A MARRIED grandfather was caught in a trap set up by an undercover police officer posing as a schoolgirl on an internet chatroom.

Trevor Dodson was said to have been deeply ashamed for his filthy messages and sending pictures of his private parts which were taken at his work.

John Nixon, mitigating, told Teesside Crown Court yesterday Dodson led a blameless life until his online disgraces in March, working all over the world as a procurement officer and being wed for 38 years.

The 62-year-old, of Minsterley Drive, Middlesbrough, admitted two charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence.

Mr Nixon said: “This was a foolish man. It came completely out of the blue and has changed his life forever more.”

Dodson used false names on two different sites and said he was 54 as he groomed the fake 14-year-old, and asked her to send him topless pictures, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield.

Judge Deborah Sherwin said she did not believe the white-haired father-of-three when he said what he was doing was not for sexual gratification.

The judge – who also put Dodson on the sex offenders’ register for ten years – told him: “I am aware you will probably feel embarrassed and you will have to live with the consequences as far as your family is concerned.”