Dozens of online paedophile hunters descended on the home of Leeds pervert

But 63-year-old David Lickley was spared immediate custody after the judge felt he would become “more entrenched” if he were to mix with other perverts behind bars. Instead, he was given a 24-month sentence, suspended for 24 months.

Leeds Crown Court was told that Lickley, had been hooked by the decoy account on Facebook in January of last year. Making it clear she was 12-year-old from the outset, Lickley sent her a friend request, prosecutor Caroline Abraham said.

After switching the conversation to WhatsApp, he told the “girl” that he wanted to take her out to watch a movie and then go for a meal. But he then said he wanted to share a bed with her and rub his hands all over her, before moving onto making explicit sexual suggestions.

Two months later on March 24, the hunter group behind the profile descended on his home on Cragside Walk, Hawksworth. Miss Abraham said “between 20 and 30” members were on hand to confront him. The police were called and Lickley was arrested before being interviewed twice. He made no comments in either, aside from admitting to officers that he “needed help”.

His Samsung phone was seized on which officers found hundreds of indecent images and videos of children being abused, aged from four to 13. They found 208 pictures and four videos in Category A – the most serious. They also unearthed 327 images and one video classed as Category B and 354 pictures and four videos in Category C.

Lickley, who has no previous convictions, later admitted one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and three counts of possessing indecent images.

His barrister, Eleanor Durdy said he was willing to accept help and added: “He understands it is very wrong and he was well out of order. He said it’s the biggest mistake has ever made.”

She said his wife is now divorcing him as a result of his offending, and he has become estranged from his family. Miss Durdy said a probation report put him at a low risk of re-offending but there were concerns about the safety of children being around him in future.

Judge Robin Mairs gave him a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use for 10 years, and put him on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Explaining his decision not to send him directly into custody, Judge Mairs said: “Many would say you richly deserve to go to prison today. But if you were to be kept with other paedophiles you would re-appear with an even more entrenched sexual perversion than you have today.

"You are a paedophile and you need to face up to that. You are living like a recluse because of the acrimony in the local community and your wife has obviously left you because of your sexual desire for children.”