A Hull man has been jailed for attempting to communicate sexually with a child online, believing his victim to be a 13-year-old girl.

Lewis Broughton, 35, was caught in a sting operation after sending "absolutely vile" explicit messages to an undercover police officer posing as a schoolgirl on the Kik social media app.

Broughton, of Inglemire Lane, Hull, pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity between June 3 and July 15, 2021.

Hull Crown Court heard that Broughton, who pretended to be 18, sent the decoy girl explicit messages, complimenting her looks, asking about her underwear size, and discussing various sexual activities.

He also inquired about intimate details, suggested meeting the girl, and sent messages requesting revealing pictures, even providing instructions on how to touch herself intimately.

Broughton was arrested on September 24, 2021, and communications between him and the decoy girl, as well as search terms on his phone suggesting a sexual interest in children, were recovered.

While Broughton claimed to have been drinking during the chats, he admitted responsibility for his actions and expressed remorse during police interviews.

Recorder David Kelly sentenced Broughton to three years and four months in prison. He also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and required Broughton to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

"You were communicating online with what you believed was a 13-year-old girl but was, in fact, an undercover police officer," Kelly stated. "You were holding explicit sexual conversations with a person you believed to be a 13-year-old girl. These are attempted offences. You were attempting the impossible."