Neil Cumpston, 74, caught by paedophile hunters online sentenced A man from Cornwall who was caught attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child by a paedophile hunter group has been sentenced today. Neil Cumpston, 74, of Upton Cross, Liskeard, had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and appeared at Truro Crown Court this week (Mar 18) for sentencing. In 2019, Cumpston had messaged the social media profile of what he believed to be a 12 year old girl but had actually been a fake profile set up by a paedophile hunter group. He began to chat with the account over a period of time and on one occasion asked “what she was wearing.” Cumpston went on to also send the profile sexual images and videos and the court then heard how he had told the account “not to tell anyone” and that “It was their secret.” After his arrest by police, Cumpston was interviewed and answered ‘no comment,’ although later went on to plead guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. When handing down Cumpton’s sentence, Judge Robert Linford said: “You pleaded guilty to attempting sexual communications. “You sent the person a series of highly sexualised images. “In fact, this was an adult who was posing as a child. “You genuinely thought you were engaging in communications with a child. In your mind was the fact the you were communicating with a 12 year old girl Cumptson was given nine months imprisonment suspended for two years and 50 rehabilitation days over two years when he was sentenced at Truro Crown Court. He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years and a sexual offender registrant for ten years. He was also made to pay costs of £670.