A paedophile who arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl in St Ives was caught out after the “girl” was revealed to be an adult.

John Brewster, 67, messaged who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl on Facebook and Whatsapp between July 11 and 15 and arranged to meet her later that same week.

However, when he arrived at just before 4.30pm on July 18, the girl was revealed to be an adult who called the police.

Officers attended and Brewster, of Crown Close, St Ives, was arrested.

In police interview, he replied “no comment” to all questions.

He stood trial at Cambridge Crown Court from Tuesday March 15.

Two days later, jurors took less than three hours to find him guilty of engaging in sexual communication with a child and inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

Brewster was jailed for three years and four months at the same court on Thursday March 17.

He was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), to monitor any future offending, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register, both indefinitely.

Detective Sergeant George Neal, from the force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), said: “Brewster’s behaviour was shocking and inappropriate; using the internet in this way will not be tolerated.

“Phones and social media mean children can be vulnerable to those who prey on their innocence and exploit their trust.

“Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.”

Anyone who is concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence, and could be posing a risk to someone, can apply for disclosure information through Sarah’s Law.

For information and advice about child abuse, including online grooming, visit the force’s dedicated child protection web page.