A WREXHAM man who was confronted by a paedophile hunter group has been jailed.

Ieuan Wyn Williams, 51, of Ffordd Lannerch, Penycae, thought he was chatting online to three boys, two of them aged 12 and another who was 14. However, Mold Crown Court heard how Williams had in fact been talking to a member of a paedophile hunter group.

Prosecuting barrister Ffion Tomos said how Williams had sent them messages, inviting them to meet up and perform sex acts, between September 17-20 this year. He admitted to three charges of attempting to incite children to engage in sexual activity as well as a fourth charge of attempting to facilitate a sexual offence.

Ms Tomos said how Williams had confirmed to all three of the “fake” children that he was okay with their ages and told one of them that “nobody has to know”. She then went on to explain how the group confronted Williams at his home address, before the police arrived and he was arrested.

She said: “In a prepared statement, Williams said he only had contact with people by talking to them on the internet and he would never engage in sex with a child.”

Matthew Curtis, defending, said his client was a vulnerable man who lived a very isolated life.

Sentencing Williams to 12 months in prison, Judge Niclas Parry said it was a “desperately sad” and worrying case, but that mercifully there had been no victims.

He was given a sexually harm prevention order for 10 years.