Perverted Sunderland dad jailed after he is snared by paedophile hunters

A married dad was confronted by paedophile hunters when he turned up to a meet an imaginary 14-year-old virgin for sex.
Saber Ali.Saber Ali.
Saber Ali.

Saber Ali thought he had been chatting to the underage schoolgirl on Scout social media app and asked her "can I come to your home for sex?"

Newcastle Crown Court heard despite being repeatedly told he was talking to an inexperienced schoolgirl, the 45-year-old bombarded her with illicit chat, sent her a graphic picture and described in shocking detail what he would like to do to her.

Ali was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court.Ali was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court.
Ali was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court.
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When Ali asked her to send a naked image of herself and she refused, he told her "I'm your BF now", which is a social media term for boyfriend.

The court heard within seven hours of making contact with the child on July 26 last year, Ali turned up at Chapman Street, off Sea Road, in Sunderland, to meet her but was confronted by Guardians of the North.

The organisation's members pose as children online to snare perverts and had set up the Scout profile under a fake name.

Ali, of Tatham Street, in the East End of Sunderland, was arrested by police, who had been alerted by the group, and claimed he had no bad intentions and had planned to tell the girl to "go home".

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He later pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Judge Penny Moreland sentenced him to 15 months behind bars with a five-year sexual harm prevention order and 10 years on the sex offenders' register.

The judge told him that he was told by the imaginary person at 3.45pm that they were 14 and that by 5pm Ali was asking for naked images and and for her to have sex with him.

Judge Moreland added: "By 7pm you were asking to go to her house for sex

"You arranged to meet at 10pm.

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"I am quite satisfied that what you had in mind that night was to have sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl."

Judge Moreland rejected Ali's defence team requests for the jail term to be suspended.

The judge said: "In my view, an immediate custodial sentence is the only appropriate sentence for someone who arranges to have sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl."

Lee Fish, defending, said Ali has never been in trouble before and has struggled to understand his own behaviour that day.

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Mr Fish said Ali is deeply ashamed of his behaviour and regrets the shame he has brought upon himself and also his family, who he works hard to support.

The court heard Ali has a job and is also a student studying business management.

Mr Fish added: "He has repeatedly requested I assure the court this is an isolated incident.

"He cannot understand fully quite what a man of his age, with his background, was doing in engaging in conversations of this nature."