A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed for four years after being snared when trying to meet a child for sex.

Dean Carey had sent sexually explicit messages to a 13-year-old boy in 2017, and then had tried to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old boy last September in Pitsea.

However, he was intercepted and subsequently arrested

The 48-year-old of Clovers, Halstead, was arrested on both occasions for exchanging explicit messages to teenage boys.

Last month, Carey pleaded guilty to a series of offences including causing a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual communications with a child, attempted sexual communications with a child, facilitating the commission of a child sex offences, breaching a pre-existing Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and three counts of making indecent images if children.

On Thursday 16 April he was sentenced to four years in prison with a further six on licence for causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Carey has also been given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Gemma White, said: “Carey is a dangerous individual who poses a real risk to children.

“Thanks to the work of numerous teams across the force, including the Police Online Investigation Team and Braintree CID, we were able to get a great result today.

“He will spend a significant amount of time behind bars and will still serve strict conditions when released on license.”