A SEX offender who was spared a prison sentence after falling for online activists’ sting last summer, is now behind bars after repeating the offence.

Christopher John Peart thought he was contacting a 14-year-old girl on social media, offering her £50 for indecent photos and more to buy her silence.

Durham Crown Court heard in reality he was communicating with a member of the Child Online Safety Team who posted the decoy profile of the girl.

Peart was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with an order to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions overseen by the Probation Service, when he appeared at the court for sentence, on August 25.

He was also made subject of restrictions in internet use as part of a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

But Peart, 34, of Rose Terrace, Middleton-in-Teesdale, was back at the court, appearing via video link from nearby Durham Prison, in breach of the order.

The court heard he failed to reveal having a tablet device when his sex offender manager visited his home in December.

But it was found in a police search, hidden under a set of drawers in his bedroom, a month later.

Ian West, prosecuting, said examination of its contents revealed access to two chat sites in which he believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl, using sexualised terms.

This time he was corresponding with another decoy, created by an undercover police officer.

Mr West said when he was arrested Peart made initial denials, claiming not to know about the tablet.

But, when the case went before magistrates, he admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and two counts of breaching a restraining order.

Stephen Hamill, for Peart, said the best he could say on his client’s behalf was that he did plead guilty.

“He got a once in a lifetime opportunity in August and the court will not be asking itself if it activates that suspended sentence, but how long will he be getting.”

Judge James Adkin said little more than three months after receiving the suspended sentence order he was engaging in “graphic sexual conversation” with what he thought to be a teenage girl.

Imposing a 29-month prison sentence the judge also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the tablet device.