AN Irvine pervert caught in a sting operation by “paedophile hunters” has been spared a prison sentence.

Sick Andrew Smith, of Paterson Avenue, believed he was sending indecent images of himself over Facebook to a 14-year-old girl.

But in actual fact, the 38-year-old was speaking to a man who poses as children to catch out potential paedophiles.

Smith was charged with trying to induce the fictional girl to send naked pictures as well as sending explicit messages and pictures of himself to the account between September 1 and November 29, 2015.

The Times previously told how Public Justice PHL (Paedophile Hunters London) were responsible for bringing Smith to the attention of police.

One of the site’s founders – who asked to be known only as “Jay” – posed under an account called “Katie Mays” pretending to be 14-years-old.

Smith communicated with the account on a publicly available Facebook page titled “Young girls date old men”.

This was despite the “Katie” account immediately identifying her age to the pervert who bombarded the account with sexual messages and explicit images of himself.

He asked: “How old you?” to which the vigilante replied: “I’m 14 and you?”
Smith said: “Really you look older I am 38.”

When asked by the vigilante if it was okay that they were 14, Smith replied: “Yes fine I 38 that okay.”

The messages then grew increasingly lewd, with Smith suggesting he should meet up with the fictional girl in London.

Smith previously pleaded guilty to the offences at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court and returned to the dock last week for sentencing.

He was sentenced to three years of supervision and a stringent three-year conduct and progress requirement.

Smith must take part in the Moving Forward, Making Changes programme, must not have any unsupervised contact with a child under 17 without the approval of his supervising officer other than inadvertent or unavoidable contact.

He must not access the internet unless at work or on a recognised course as well as allowing police access to any computer or device capable of accessing the internet and not downloading software capable of destroying internet history.

Smith was also placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for three years.

Speaking after the sentencing, “Jay” said: “We at Public Justice PHL are fighting for change to stop people like Andrew Smith, what Andrew did was disgusting.

“It was lucky that Andrew came to our attention when he did, he could of gone on to commit this crime to a real child.

“People like Andrew will never change. The sentencing for Andrew was way to soft, he should have got a minimum of five years.”