LEEDS PAEDOPHILE CAUGHT IN VIGILANTE STING SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS
A paedophile named Ronald Barton, aged 57, was sentenced to two years in prison after being caught in a sting operation by a vigilante group.Barton previously served a two-year sentence in 2022 for similar offenses.
He had added a profile on Facebook in March of this year, which was operated by a woman working for the paedophile vigilante group Angels of Innocence.
During conversations, Barton asked the victim how old she was, and when she said she was 14, he claimed he couldn't chat with anyone under 17 because he was on the Sex Offenders' Register.
He even advised her to be cautious about underage grooming and suggested she talk to her mother, falsely claiming that police regularly checked his phone.
Barton sent sexually suggestive messages, including comments like "You're going to break a lot of guys' hearts when you're older," and shared images of his torso, indicating his age.
He admitted to attempted sexual communication with a child and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Barton had been arrested previously in 2022 for trying to meet a different profile run by a vigilante group, during which he was found with alcohol and sex toys, claiming they were for a girl to "relax." His barrister expressed his shame and embarrassment, noting that he lives with his mother who was upset by his actions.
Barton, who ran a gardening business for 25 years, is now unable to work in that field due to his offenses.
The court sentenced him to two years in prison.
