A paedophile was snared by a mum-of-three who posed as a 13-year-old girl on a 'friendship website' after he asked lewd questions online and arranged to meet her. 

Housewife Sarah Doherty filmed Arthur Douglas, 53, after he turned up to meet her believing she was a teenager. 

Disturbing footage shows Douglas being questioned by the woman while he claims he wanted to meet the 'girl' because "she wanted a friend." 

A court heard Douglas had messaged a profile set up by the mum, which had stated she was an 18-year-old girl, but continued to correspond with her even when she revealed she was 13. 

Douglas then began asking her lewd questions and agreed to meet the teenager at a shopping centre. 

But Preston Crown Court, Lancs., heard that when he arrived Mrs Doherty and her husband called the police. 

Douglas, who admitted attempting to meet a child following grooming, sobbed as 
the judge suspended his eight month sentence for two years and imposed a 
rehabilitation requirement and 10 year sexual harm prevention order. 

Judge Gibson said: "You admitted you were the person who had spoken to the child and when asked if you were going to have sex with her you said 'Maybe, possibly'. It is a concern that at 53-years-old you were even contemplating having intercourse with a girl of 13." 

David Clarke, prosecuting, said: "The mum explains over the last few years she has become concerned about paedophiles preying on children online and decided to do something about it.Last summer she decided to set up a decoy, a pretend child, and that profile would be posted on various friendship websites. 

"The purported age on the website said 18. Contact was first made by the defendant in May this year. 

"On the same day, the apparent child of 18 made it clear she was only 13 and there were some conversations about age difference." 

Matters escalated over the next few days a mobile number was given to him and he was asking lewd questions. 

Douglas then agreed to meet the teen in the Arndale Centre in Morecambe, Lancs. 

Judge Gibson also imposed a rehabilitation requirement and 10 year sexual harm prevention orderon Douglas and ordered him to pay £50 costs. 

Mitigating, Andrew Nuttall, revealed Douglas, who lives in Morecambe, was the sole carer for his elderly father, and said "He's not a predatory paedophile."