Vigilante paedophile hunters lured a 46-year-old Stroud child sex offender into their trap, a court heard today.
Cheltenham Magistrates Court was told that the group tricked Andrew Papps into thinking he was communicating with three girls aged 13 and 14 year.
Papps, formerly of Highwood Court in Forest Green, Nailsworth, pleaded guilty to communicating with the fictitious 'girls', Chloe Novell, Madison Jenkins and Chloe Seabrook, believing them to be aged 13 or 14 between March 21 and April 15, 2019 by means of social media platforms.
He also admitted two charges of attempting to engage a 13-year-old in sexual activity and between the same dates.
Papps also admitted possessing indecent images of children on his phone on April 14, 2019.
District Judge Mark Leighton committed the case to Gloucester Crown Court and ordered Papps, now of Gloucester, to sign the sex offenders register.
Papps was released on bail to appear at Gloucester Crown Court on August 21.
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