Hartlepool pensioner, 73, sent to Teesside Crown court after being caught having Facebook sex chat with 'kids' by activist group

David Dunn, 73, was caught by the group after talking to the ‘girls’ in explicit language on Facebook over a number of weeks last year.

Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard he sent them both a photo of himself naked from the waist up.

The online activist group located Dunn at his home address and confronted him with what he had done.

Joanne Hesse, prosecuting, said his phone was seized which had recorded the chat threads with the two decoys.

She said: “The chat threads were clearly of a sexual nature.”

Dunn, of Church Street, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, between late Otober and early December.

Ms Hesse said sentencing guidelines put the case in the top category with Dunn facing anything between nine months and two years in jail.

She therefore suggested the magistrates send him to Teesside Crown Court to be dealt with.

Neil Taylor, defending, said Dunn had been the subject of threats since the activists posted videos of them confronting him on the internet within hours.

He said: “There weren’t actually any children involved in this whatsoever. They were adults purporting to be children.

"Mr Dunn has done everything that could be done of him and that’s plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.”

Chairman of the bench Arthur Smyrell said they were not comfortable going outside the guidelines so sent the case to the crown court next month.

Dunn was granted bail in the meantime.