Telford pervert had sex chats with two paedophile hunters at the same time

Michael Pugh, aged 40, thought he was talking to young girls called Jess, aged 12, and Scarlett, aged 13. He made several inappropriate comments and sent a naked photograph of himself carrying out a sex act, asking for pictures in return.

The decoy posing as “Scarlett” told Pugh she was 13 and from Chester. Pugh offered her £100 for a Christmas present, and suggested they meet up to go shopping. He asked if they could hold hands and said they could share a bed and “stay up late”.

He told “Jess” she was “gorgeous”, and suggested meeting to ride on his motorbike. This was all after “Jess” had already told him she was 12. It was “Jess” who Pugh sent the photograph to.

Pugh, who is a warehouse operative, was talking to the “Scarlett” decoy between October 13, and December 23, 2019, and the “Jess” decoy between December 9 and 23, 2019. He was arrested and taken into custody, and admitted to police that he had sent the messages.

Pugh, of Hayes Road, Arleston, Telford, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity.

Rob Edwards, defending, said that Pugh is “struggling to process” what he has done.

Judge Peter Barrie described Pugh’s offending as “extremely serious”. “You tried to make them send pictures of themselves,” he said. “I am aware there was no actual 12 or 13-year-old. They were set up by decoys in both cases. But you weren’t to know that.”

He handed Pugh a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Pugh was also ordered to carry out a sex offenders’ programme and rehabilitation activity days.