Paedophile attempted to meet girl, 14, in Wolverhampton after WhatsApp grooming

Michael Quick, aged 55, from Shendon Close, Seven Oaks, Kent, used dating app Lovvo to start a conversation with a girl, who said she was 18, Walsall Magistrates Court heard.

The pair exchanged numbers and moved onto WhatsApp, where Quick was told by the girl that she was 14.

Despite acknowledging this, Quick continued to hold a conversation with her, discussing sexual activities, and arranged to get on a train to meet her in Wolverhampton on March 1.

When he arrived at the station Quick was arrested by police, who had been called by a man who had pretended to be the girl.

He was found with vodka and baby oil, which had also been mentioned in the WhatsApp conversations, which were passed on to police.

Prosecuting, Mr Mukhtaiar Aubhi, said: "The defendant is aged 55 and lives in Kent.

"He arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl in Wolverhampton, give her alcohol and have sex with her.

"However, the girl is in fact an adult who for want of a better phrase, acted as a paedophile hunter.

"When the conversation moved on to WhatsApp, it was made clear that the girl was 14 years old and this did not stop him from making plans.

"He asked during conversations that she not tell anyone because he didn't want to end up in jail.

"He said that he would bring both beer and vodka for them to drink, when she said that she hadn't drank alcohol before, he said vodka would taste better to her.

"When he arrived at Wolverhampton train station, officers from West Midlands Police were waiting to arrest him after being given details of what he had done.

"He answered no comment during a police interview."

It was argued by Mr Aubhi that Quick, who pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to meet a girl under 16 years of age following grooming, should be sentenced in a crown court.

Defence solicitor Mr Jason Georgiou said he was 'left with little to say' to defend his client.

He said: "I am afraid that I have been left with little to say, I have to concede that the sentence should be given in the crown court."

Chief magistrate, Larry Barnes, said: "The bench feel the offence is so serious that our powers of punishment are not high enough."

Quick will be sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on April 28.