A PERVERT caught in an undercover sting operation arranging to meet a decoy child has been spared jail.

Cosmin Fratila had already admitted arranging the commission of a child sexual offence

The 40-year-old of Church Street, Didcot appeared for sentencing at Oxford Crown Court yesterday.

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Prosecutors said that Fratila spoke with what he believed to be a 14-year-old boy on dating application Grindr on June 3 this year.

In fact he was really speaking to an undercover officer.

The communication became sexual and Fratila went on to invite the decoy child to his home address to engage in sexual activity.

Instead he was arrested by police before going to admit the offence.

In mitigation it was said that he had no previous convictions and there was no evidence of 'previous sexual interest in children.'

Fratila was jailed for 20 months, suspended for 18 months and he must carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and 40 days on a sexual offending programme. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge and £750 costs.

Fratila must also sign the sex offenders register and obey a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.