A father trapped online paedophile Blake Pitchford whilst posing at his 11-year old daughter
A father turned detective and snared a paedophile by posing as his 11-year old daughter online, court hears.
The unnamed parent had allowed his daughter to use social media to talk to her friends on the strict condition that he monitored it.
But just a week after setting it up her Facebook account, he was horrified when Blake Pitchford, 27, sent him sexually explicit pictures and messages, in the belief he was speaking with the little girl.
The parent continued to pose as his daughter until Pitchford asked that he meet her, at which point he called the police.
Pitchford, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was later arrested at a cricket club where he works as a cleaner.
In a statement the father said: 'I'm angry and distressed that this man sent my daughter sexually explicit messages in the belief he was communication with an 11 year old girl. I have had nightmares of what could have happened if it was her that had been engaging in this conversation and messaging this man.'
At Bolton Crown Court, Pitchford admitted trying to incite an 11-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity.
He was given a three year community order after a judge said his blame was 'less' due to him having a low mental age.' He will enroll on a rehabilitation programme for convicted sex offenders.
Pitchford, from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was later arrested at a cricket club where he works as a cleaner
Judge Richard Gioserano, said: 'The child in question was 11 years of age at the time of the offending and she was allowed by her father to have a Facebook account. He, sensibly, allowed her to have that account on the condition that he was allowed to monitor it and I believe that others can learn from this approach.
'It's fortunate that he took that approach and fortunate that, as soon as you attempted to contact her, she went to her father. He was, therefore, the recipient of these messages but you thought it was the 11 year old victim.
'You clearly have no thought for the emotional and psychological harm it could have caused her, but thankfully this didn't happen because of the interference of her father - who I am sure he would rather suffer this than his daughter.
'I have to factor in that there was no child actually involved in the communications. None of this will come as consolation to the victim's father, whose primary concern is
