AN ONLINE paedophile hunting group publicly exposed a 19-year-old Whitehaven man after he attempted to communicate sexually with a boy he believed was 15.

Jack William Fleming, who is now 20, had a panic attack when activists tracked him down and confronted him over his online behaviour.

At Carlisle Crown Court, the defendant pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. Prosecutor Verity Quaite outlined the facts.

She said the group involved, Child Online Safety Team, consisted of volunteers whose purpose was to identify and publicly expose adults seeking children for sexual gratification.

In Fleming’s case, he fell into what became a quickly sexualised online conversation on a social media platform with a person he believed was a 15-year-old boy on August 17 last year. He sent the person an intimate photo of himself.

Fleming also asked the “decoy” to send him indecent images of himself.

When confronted at his workplace, he became distressed and suffered a panic attack, said Miss Quaite.

He said: “I can’t believe what I’ve done; I’ve been so stupid.”

The defendant, of Meadow Road, Whitehaven, was a man of previous good character. Defence barrister Marion Weir told the court: “There is genuine remorse expressed in [his] letter for his actions.

“The whole experience has been extremely salutary lesson or Mr Fleming.” He recognised he should have ceased the online conversation as soon as the person stated he was 15.

“It was a short conversation,” said Miss Weir. Since his arrest, he had undergone counselling to come to terms with what happened and to address underlying issues which may have led to his actions.

He lost his job at a school as a result of what happened – a career he had loved. He also stood down from voluntary work he did.

Judge Nicholas Barker told the defendant: “You are 20 years old and have no previous convictions. “ In August of last year, he was working at a local school and also a volunteer instructor with the Sea Cadets.

The defendant's online conversation with the decoy was "very sexualised,” said the Judge. There were sexual references and a request from Fleming for the person to send indecent pictures of himself.

Being exposed in such a “highly public” way was clearly shocking for Fleming, but he was “entirely remorseful,” continued the judge. Fleming's sexuality had been made public in a way not of his choosing.

But people spoke well of him, said the Judge.

Judge Barker said he had no doubt the public could be better served by imposing a three-year community order which includes an accredited programme. The sentence will include five rehabilitation activity days and 180 hours of unpaid work.

Fleming will be on the Sex Offender Register for five years.