A MAN has been jailed after ‘paedophile hunters’ lured him into meeting a fictitious 14-year-old girl.

Oxford Crown Court yesterday heard Joshua Dodd, of no fixed abode, had inappropriately messaged ‘Emma’ online about having sex, and in one instance asked her to send nude pictures.

But Emma was in fact an adult member of paedophile hunter group Net Justice, who ultimately snared the 25-year-old at an address in Abingdon in October 2017.

It came shortly after he was released from a two-and-a-half year sentence for similar offences.

Dodd appeared at Oxford Crown Court via video link from HMP Bullingdon near Bicester and sat biting his nails throughout the hearing.

Prosecutor, Alan Blake, said: “Within six weeks of the defendant’s release from custody he contacted the [decoy] profile set up in the name of Emma.

“She made clear to anyone who made contact she was 14-years-old.

"By the fourth message he said he was 25 and asked her age, to which she said 14 and he replied stating it was an 11 year age difference."

“Very quickly the conversation between them turned sexual.”

The court heard how Dodd, who appeared at court via video link, persistently sent inappropriate messages to ‘Emma’ and in one case asked to meet her for sex in a disabled toilet.

Paedophile hunters accosted Dodd on October 10 in Abingdon, handed him over to police and recorded the encounter before posting it online.

The video prompted another women to contact police about Dodd.

The court heard the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had sex with Dodd in 2011 when she was 14 and he was 19.

The women moved away but Dodd continued to be 'very persistent' with his messages to the then teenager requesting to meet for further sexual activity.

Mr Blake added: “She was concerned he could have behaved similarly to other young girls.”

In relation to the case involving ‘Emma’, Dodd admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, breaching a sexual prevention order and making indecent photographs of a child.

In relation to the second woman he admitted inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was sentenced to four years and four months in prison by Judge Ian Pringle.

Danni Gallo, of Net Justice, said: “Josh Dodd is just one tiny part of an epidemic that is making the internet a very dangerous place for all our children.

“We are pleased to have been able to help put this man in prison and keep our kids that little bit safer for a while.

""The sentences these people get will never be enough, but at least for now, there's one less monster online."

Clare Wade, defending, said Dodd admits he has a problem and has asked for help.