A man who thought he was sexually propositioning children online has been jailed after being caught by an undercover sting.

Timothy Ian Moulton was on holiday here when he contacted what he believed were girls aged 13 and 14.

The 41-year-old was arrested after sending photos of his genitals and asking for nude photos of the ‘girls’ in return.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that Moulton, who lives at Alfred Street, Weston Supermare, was visiting family on the island on July 9.

He contacted what he thought was a 13 year-old girl on Facebook, but was in fact a decoy from a child protection agency.

The decoys do not initiate contact but will respond to messages.

The decoy told Moulton they were 13 and he told them he was a doctor who worked at a radio station.

He turned the conversation sexual, asking the decoy for explicit photos and talked about rape.

Moulton told the decoy he was going back to the UK soon, but said he would come back to visit them.

On July 14, he sent the decoy a photo of his genitals before contacting a second online profile, two days later.

That second profile was also being run by a child protection agency operative who was posing as a 14-year-old girl.

Moulton introduced himself to the second decoy as 30 year-old ‘Doctor Tim’.

The decoy told Moulton they were 14, but he then started a sexual conversation, asking the decoy to send him indecent photos. On July 18, he sent a photo of his genitals to the decoy.

Moulton was arrested and initially answered ‘no comment’ during a police interview. However, he then said he had arrived on the island on July 10, claiming he was working as an internet radio DJ.

He admitted sending an explicit photo but denied sending messages relating to sexual conversations.

Moulton claimed he had been ‘hacked’ and couldn’t use Facebook messenger.

He said that the hacker must have known his travel plans.

The defendant appeared in court via video link from the Isle of Man prison and was represented by advocate James Peterson.

Mr Peterson said that a custodial sentence was the only suitable one, bearing in mind Moulton lives in the UK so would be unable to do a community-based penalty.

‘He is a man with long-term difficulties and learning difficulties,’ said the advocate.

‘He has spent significant time in residential care where he had support. His doctor has said he has had difficulties with this sort of behaviour.’

Mr Peterson said that the defendant was not in supported living when the offences were committed and that his home in Weston Supermare had been ransacked while he was away.

The advocate went on to ask for credit to be given for his client’s guilty pleas to the two offences of sending offensive messages via telecommunications.

The case had been delayed for a psychiatric report, in relation to fitness to plead, but Moulton was deemed fit.

High Bailiff Mr Brooks told the defendant: ‘You have sent sexual messages to who you believed to be young girls.

‘The fact they were not young girls is largely irrelevant. You believed there were young girls. Your intent was to cause far greater harm. Not only did you send sexual images, you solicited some from them.

‘The psychiatric report does conclude you knew right from wrong.’

The High Bailiff sentenced Moulton to 14 weeks custody for each offence, to run consecutively.