A TEENAGER from Dyserth who sent a decoy 13-year-old girl an explicit image of himself was caught out by online vigilantes.

Lucas Shaw was told by the decoy that she was 13 (it was, in fact, an adult posing as a 13-year-old), but proceeded to send her explicit messages, before disclosing his address.

Shaw, 18, of Maes Y Foel, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half, at Mold Crown Court today (November 1), having previously admitted attempted sexual communication with a child.

As such, he is released from custody, having been remanded in late September following a breach of his bail conditions.

Prosecutor Elen Owen told the court that, on June 25, Shaw sent a friend request to the decoy account – after this was accepted, she told him she was 13, and replied saying he was 18.

Phone numbers were exchanged, and on June 28, Shaw sent “selfies” of himself to the decoy on WhatsApp, and told her if she was older, he would have liked to date her.

On July 1, he used words such as “horny” and “sexy” in conversation with her, before telling her the following day: “I love you, baby”.

He also asked the decoy if she knew what “nudes” were, and sent her a picture of his genitalia.

Then, on July 3, members of the same online vigilante group which operated the decoy account pretended to be a delivery driver in order to obtain Shaw’s address.

After he shared this, he was arrested and had his mobile phone seized on July 4.

Defending Shaw, Duncan Bould said he has endured a difficult time on remand.

Shaw had no previous convictions, meanwhile, and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Sentencing, Judge Niclas Parry told Shaw: “You had been told, in no uncertain terms, that you were engaging with someone aged 13. You were still prepared to act as you did.

“You are someone who finds it extremely difficult to resist those sexual urges. Mercifully, there was no victim, and no harm was actually caused.”

Judge Parry ordered Shaw to complete 45 days’ rehabilitation activity, a 45-session programme requirement, and 80 hours’ unpaid work.

He added to him: “It seems to me that you could do with a bit of structure in your life, and there’s nothing better for that than work.

“It’s an opportunity. If you don’t keep the appointments, don’t do the work, or re-offend, you know you’ll come back.”

Shaw will also adhere to sex offenders register notification requirements, and a sexual harm prevention order, for 10 years.

His phone will be forfeited and destroyed.