Abertillery paedophile Ivor Gifford, 92, caught in sting

A 92-year-old man has been found guilty of using a chatroom to incite what he believed were 11 and 12-year-old girls to engage in sexual activity.

Ivor Gifford, from Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, sent explicit messages to fake profiles set up by a group called The Hunted One.

Sentencing will take place on 2 June.

Speaking after his conviction at Newport Crown Court, Gwent Police said while officers relied on the public to detect crime, it was important not to cross the line into vigilantism.

"Revealing the identity of suspected paedophiles gives the suspect the opportunity to destroy evidence before the police can investigate them," Det Supt Leanne Brustad said.

"This can divert significant resources into protecting suspects, which would be better invested in investigating and, where there is evidence, prosecuting them."