POLICE posing as two young girls have snared a paedophile who shared sexual images with them.

Peter John Reynolds, aged 48, from Downholme, Richmondshire, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court today - Monday, December 20.

Read more: Drink driver almost three times the limit was 'all over the road' before A1 crash

He had pleaded guilty to four offences last month, including two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, who he believed to be two young girls who he had met online.

One of these offences took place between August 24 and October 18, and the other between October 1 and 19, 2021.

In each case, Reynolds sent a series of sexual images and engaged in sexualised chat with what he believed were two young girls.

What he had not realised was that he was communicating with the police throughout this time.

When the “girls” confirmed their ages as 12 and 13 to him during these chats, Reynolds continued with the sexualised conversation despite believing they were children.

An operation was carried out by North Yorkshire Police during the early hours of October 20 to arrest him.

A search warrant was also executed at his home where various devices and other potential evidence were seized as part of the investigation.

Reynolds was already on the Sex Offenders Register due to a previous conviction for inciting a girl aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual activity in November 2015.

He received a suspended sentence and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

This meant Reynolds was also charged with a breach of the SHPO for using a mobile phone that he was prohibited to use, as well as attempting to breach the SHPO in relation to communication with females aged under 16.

Detective Constable Tom Sutcliffe, of the Online Abuse and Exploitation Team, led the investigation which secured the recent conviction.

He said: “Reynolds continues to have a deeply disturbing sexual interest in children, to the extent that he was prepared to break the public protection measures that were put in place at the end of 2016 when he was sentenced for a similar offence.

Read more: Fraudster who conned victims into driveway work has £500k of assets confiscated

“He knew only too well that if he was caught again he would go to prison, which is exactly how it has turned out.

“Reynolds, and other child sexual offenders like him, need to realise that the police are watching them like hawks.

“One wrong move and we will pounce before they themselves have a chance to prey on vulnerable young victims.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated North Yorkshire Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054