A St Ives paedophile suggested meeting up for “naked massages” to an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on an online messaging app.

Richard Anthony, 45, began messaging the officer in January 2019 and asked for pictures of “her” several times before suggesting they meet.

Officers executed a warrant at Anthony’s home in Laburnum Way, on June 18 2019, to seize and examine his electronic devices.

On Friday (June 4) at Peterborough Crown Court, Anthony was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to attempting to incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity at an earlier hearing.

DC Keith Evans, of the force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), said: “Despite believing he was speaking with a young girl, Anthony continued to send inappropriate messages and even asked to meet in person.

“He has shown he is a threat to children but thankfully his sentence means he will be behind bars for some time.”

Concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence and could be posing a risk to a child? Sarah’s Law lets you find out more: https://bit.ly/3vSy30X

Anyone who looks out for the welfare of a child can make an enquiry - this can include parents, carers, guardians, extended family, friends and neighbours.