Paedophile from Peterborough is jailed after attempting to groom and meet a 'child'
A paedophile from Peterborough who tried to meet with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl has been jailed.
Rakesh Mahaseth (32) was confronted by an online child activist group in an alleyway next to Tesco, in Broadway, Peterborough, on February 23.
He had begun speaking to a decoy from the group on February 4 through a dating app.
The decoy said they were a 13-year-old girl and Mahaseth said he wanted to say something “naughty”.
He turned the conversation sexual and continued to ask the decoy inappropriate questions and sent pictures of himself.
He also arranged to meet with the decoy but was instead met by the activist group who alerted officers.
On Friday (June 13) at Peterborough Crown Court, Mahaseth, of Broadway, Peterborough, was jailed for 26 months, having pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming.
He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, also lasting 10 years.
DC Lloyd Davis said: “Although Mahaseth didn’t commit any contact offences and wasn’t speaking to an actual child, he still showed and acted on a sexual interest in children so it’s great he’s been jailed.”