A man has been jailed after engaging in sexualised online chats with a 13-year-old boy.

St Albans Crown Court heard how Jacob Taylor, of Mimms Lane, Shenley, started having innocuous chats with the boy before it became increasingly sexualised between October and November last year.

Taylor had suggested the pair meet up to engage in sexual activity.

Taylor, 37 arranged to meet what he believed was the young boy behind McDonalds at The Galleria in Hatfield on November 9, 2019 - but on arrival found police officers waiting for him.

He pleaded guilty to meeting a child following sexual communication and attempted sexual communication with a child.

Appearing at court yesterday (Thursday February 27) he was sentenced to two years in prison.

Detective Constable Georgina Fenge, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Child Online Safeguarding Team, said: “Taylor is a dangerous individual who clearly has no inhibitions about engaging in illegal conversations with children.

"Even after learning the teenager’s age, he continued to send inappropriate messages and was keen to meet up in order to engage in sexual activity with a minor. It is a relief to know he is now in a place where he can no longer offend.

“Hertfordshire Constabulary takes this type of crime extremely seriously and we are doing, and will continue to do, everything in our power to protect the vulnerable in our society by rooting out those who prey on children.”