James Poddington, of Earle Street, has been sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty at Preston Crown Court to attempting to incite a 12-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity of a non-penetrative nature on February 22, 2021, in Barrow and on the same day, attempting to cause a 12-year-old child to watch a sexual act for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Poddington was communicating with a child decoy from paedophile hunting group Fleetwood Enforcers UK and believed he was speaking to a 12-year-old girl 

The 31-year-old was also made the subject of a Sexual harm prevention order (SHPRO) for 10 years.