Lancashire paedophile caught by undercover cops wanted to pay for child abuse with gift cards
A dangerous sexual predator who wanted to witness a child being sexually abused online in exchange for payment via gift cards has been jailed.
David Mitchell thought he was messaging somebody else with a sexual interest in children but was in fact speaking to a police officer.
The 57-year-old, from Leyland, "openly stated a preference for victims as young as eight" to the undercover officer, before he was arrested at his home on February 17.
He was jailed at Preston Crown Court for six years after admitting attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child under 13.
During the online exchanges, Mitchell told how he wanted to witness the abuse of a child in exchange for payment through gift cards, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit said.
'Deeply disturbing'
Det Con Tris Farley said following Friday's sentencing: "This case demonstrates the commitment of our regional units to identifying and prosecuting individuals who pose a serious threat to children.
"Mitchell's messages exposed a deeply disturbing and calculated intent to exploit children.
"He openly stated a preference for victims as young as eight years old and provided explicit instructions for what he wanted to witness online.
"He is a dangerous sexual predator who now finds himself behind bars."