A PAEDOPHILE asked what he thought was a 14-year-old schoolgirl for sex after a child protection group volunteer snared him online.

Kane Pearce, 26, of York Place, Newport, was part of an entrapment set up by an organisation called Justice4Kids, Susan Ferrier, prosecuting, said.

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Cardiff Crown Court heard how the defendant was drinking 12 cans of Stella Artois lager a day when he contacted a paedophile hunter decoy.

Pearce was led to believe he was getting in touch with an underage teenager called Patsy.

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Miss Ferrier said: “The defendant told her he loves a young girl. He said how he was an assistant teacher teaching naughty pupils.

“She said she had a grandmother who lived in Pontypridd. He replied, ‘We can have fun.’

“What kind of fun? ‘Sex’ he told her. You can have sex with me.

“When he was asked by ‘Patsy’ if he knew she was 14, he replied, ‘Yeah babe, 14 OK.”

The prosecutor added: “After he was arrested, the defendant told the police he was drinking most of the time.

“He said he was drinking 12 cans of Stella a day, starting in the morning.”

Pearce pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

The offence was committed last October.

He has one previous conviction after being jailed for 32 months in 2017 for robbery.

Claire Pickthall, mitigating, said: “The pre-sentence report paints a bleak picture of his life.

“His level of alcohol dependency is clearly very, very concerning.

“It consumes his life and it is deep rooted.

“He was isolated and suffering from depression.”

But his barrister said Pearce was capable of being rehabilitated.

Judge Michael Fitton QC jailed Pearce for eight months, suspended for two years.

The defendant must complete the Horizon sex offender programme and was made the subject of a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until 2031.

Pearce, who receives benefits, must also pay a £156 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.