A PERVERT caught after paedophile hunters made a citizen’s arrest in a busy shopping centre has been jailed for breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Saman Salih, 44, from Newport, was handed a suspended prison term last year after he admitted child sex offences.

That related to a sting operation which saw the defendant think he was going out on a date with a 14-year-old schoolgirl at the city’s Friars Walk.

Salih was jailed for 18 months at Newport Crown Court this week after he admitted breaching the sexual harm prevention order imposed following his conviction.

This also put the defendant in breach of his prison sentence of nine months which was suspended for two years.

MORE NEWS

During his sentencing hearing last year, a court heard how paedophile hunters PH Balance had created a fake online profile for a girl called Ellie.

The defendant had made contact through Badoo, a dating-focused social network app.

Prosecutor Owen Williams said Salih was told by 'her': “I’m 14 and from Cardiff. Do you mind that I’m 14?

“He replied, ‘I no have a problem. I like you.’”

Newport Crown Court heard how the defendant’s comments became increasingly sexualised and he offered to take ‘Ellie’ shopping and for a meal in the city.

A female member of PH Balance had telephone conversations with Salih to keep the entrapment operation going and he offered to take her away for a break in Bournemouth.

A date was arranged for them to meet up at Friars Walk just after 10am on the morning of December 19, 2018.

Salih had promised: “Darling, whatever you want. I want to buy something for you.”

Mr Williams said: “When the defendant arrived a member of PH Balance, who knew what he looked like from his online profile, performed a citizen’s arrest and contacted the police.

“Officers arrived shortly after and he was arrested. He told the police, ‘I have been trapped by them. I’m not like that.’"

The court heard that Salih had initially denied the offences and claimed ‘Ellie’ had told him she was 18.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.