A paedophile has been sentenced to three years in prison for attempting to arrange sexual encounters with children online.

David Dutton, 67, used the internet in Warrington to engage in sexually explicit conversations with what he believed were children. However, he was actually communicating with decoy accounts set up by those working to expose online offenders.

Dutton was charged with three counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and three of arranging the commission of a child sex offence. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday, June 23.

The court heard that Dutton's offences involved three separate victims, all of whom were decoys. He engaged in sexually suggestive conversations with each of them, requesting photographs and making explicit comments about their appearance. He also attempted to arrange meetings with them for the purpose of sexual activity.

In sentencing Dutton, Judge Simon Berkson noted that the defendant's communications were "intentional and for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification." He also stated that Dutton did not reasonably believe that the people he was communicating with were 16 years old or older.

In addition to his prison sentence, Dutton must register as a sex offender indefinitely and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years.