A GRANDMOTHER turned paedophile-hunter to trap the pervert who was trying to groom a 12-year-old girl online.

The evidence gathered by the amateur detective helped put Neil McLean behind bars for three years and four months.

McLean, 35, of Outram Court, Darlington, will also be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

Earlier this year, a district judge decided he had no interest in children and did not impose restrictions.

That was despite him being found with indecent images on his phone and girls’ underwear in his one-bedroom flat.

McLean was simply given a community order with supervision and did not have a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed.

Prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi told Teesside Crown Court that McLean began grooming the schoolgirl just seven months later.

Miss Wadoodi said the district judge had been “patently wrong” in their assessment of the self-confessed deviant.

After his arrest in September, McLean told police: “I want help. I’m scared I’ll do something wrong to a young girl.”

He later confessed that he used Facebook – where he had 200 ‘friends’, who were mostly girls – for sexual gratification.

And he gave a piece of paper to a probation officer on which he had written about his fantasy involving an eight-year-old.

The court heard how McLean randomly contacted the 12-year-old in late August and immediately started messaging sexually.

The girl told her grandmother and she assumed the place of the child to communicate with the bespectacled loner.

During conversations lasting more than 100 pages, the woman repeatedly explained that she’ was 12 and sexually inexperienced.

Judge Deborah Sherwin said McLean had been persistent in his filthy requests and attempts at grooming the apparent girl.

He sent photographs of himself naked and in female underwear, although he made no attempt to arrange a meeting, the court heard.

Miss Wadoodi said he also explained to the girl how to have sex, and contacted a second child through the social media site.

Tom Mitchell, mitigating, said McLean has a low IQ, and added: “He is someone who definitely needs help.”

McLean admitted a total of eight charges involving inciting and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, possessing a paedophile manual and making indecent images.

He was also made the subject of an indefinite SHPO which restricts his internet and computer use, and his contact with under-16s.

The court heard how police found pictures of child abuse on his phone, and children’s and adult female underwear in his flat.

Mr Mitchell said: “I have no doubt whatsoever that when he is released, there is going to be some sort of order against Neil McLean pretty much for ever more.”