A PERVERT who tried to get what he thought was a 13-year-old girl to take part in internet sex was actually talking to an undercover police officer, a court heard.

Burnley Crown Court was told how ‘socially isolated’ Paul Lamb, 36, got a kick out of starting filthy conversation with the child ‘Jessica’ and attempting to get her to engage in sex acts during chat last November.

He was arrested at his home in Bacup and his computer seized.

He at first denied what had gone on.

Lamb, a married man, admitted three charges of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

The defendant, of Pennine Road, was given 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, with two years' supervision.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years and banned from working with children for 10 years.

Lamb was also made subject to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order.

Under the order, the defendant was banned from using any device capable of accessing the internet.

Emma Kehoe, prosecuting, said the officer, purporting to be Jessica, communicated with the defendant on a website.

Lamb told the officer he was from the Rossendale area of Lancashire.

When the defendant was told by ‘Jessica’ that she was 13, he replied: “Wow. You're young”.

He asked her if her mum read her chats, trying to find out if she was supervised or monitored on the website.

Mrs Kehoe said the pair went on to have sexualised conver-sation on MSN Messenger.

The prosecutor said police executed a search warrant at Lamb's address and he was arrested.

He was taken to the police station and interviewed last November 16.

At first, he denied the allegations.

The defendant claimed he used a chatroom strictly for adults.

When the conversation that had been recorded was put to him, he said he wanted to retract all previous comments.

Lamb said he was ashamed of his behaviour, accepted he had initiated all the chat and admitted he knew ‘Jessica’ was only 13.

For Lamb, John Woodward said he was consumed by shame, contrition and remorse and would not repeat his conduct.

Mr Woodward said Lamb had not been seeking out a young person but went along with it.