County Durham man who arranged to meet 'girl' for sex jailed
- Published
A man who arranged to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old girl for sex after chatting online has been jailed.
Joseph Lee, 46, was arrested after travelling from Chester-le-Street to Framwellgate Moor, County Durham.
Lee was sentenced to four years in prison at Durham Crown Court having been found guilty of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.
He was made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
The court heard officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit and Durham Police were waiting to arrest him when he arrived at the rendezvous spot in April last year.
When interviewed, police said Lee, of Drum Lane, Chester-le-Street, offered no explanation for his actions.
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