Headingley pizza shop worker sent sex pictures and takeaway menus to '13-year-old girl' in online paedophile hunter group sting

Taqi Mohammed was in fact communicating with a member of a paedophile hunter group who had set up a fake Facebook profile.

Leeds Crown Court heard the 23-year-old was arrested at the takeaway in Headingley in October 2018 after police were contacted by members of the Net Justice group

Paul Reid, prosecuting, said the group created a fake profile of a 13-year-old girl on Facebook and made contact with Mohammed in August 2018.

The defendant sent messages describing the teenager as "sexy" during a lengthy conversation about pizzas.

A month later Mohammed sent an explicit picture of himself to the girl along with a menu for the takeaway where he worked.

He went on to discuss having sex with the girl and asked her to send him sexual images of herself.

Read more: Robber jailed for pointing fake gun at off-licence worker in Beeston as he stole two bottles of beer from fridgeA member of the group went to the takeaway on October 21, 2018, to see if Mohammed was there.

Police were contacted when he was seen behind the counter.

Mohammed made no comment in interview but accepted that the phone used to send messages belonged to him.

Mohammed, of Stratford Street, Bradford, pleaded guilty to two offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The court heard Mohammed has no previous convictions.

Judge Christopher Batty said:" We are talking about a rather immature and socially isolated male who does very little other than work with his father at the takeaway business."

Judge Batty said the public would be better served if Mohammed was not jailed so he could attend a programme to prevent him re-offending.

He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The Judge told Mohammed: "You are 23 years of age and have never been in trouble before.

"But you were communicating with a 13-year-old girl. Some of that communication was sexual in nature. That is totally unacceptable."