A married man tried to send sexual messages and videos to social media accounts which he believed belonged to children.

Huseyin Gulseven, 55, thought he was messaging three girls, aged 12, 13 and 14, in August last year, but they were fake accounts set up by a vigilante group.

Gulseven, of no fixed address, contacted the accounts, sending messages, videos and trying to initiate video calls over eight days in August last year.

But he was sending the vile messages to decoy accounts and he was reported to police.

He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child in Bolton.

Summarising the case at Bolton Crown Court, Judge Tom Gilbart: “You spoke online to three children, or accounts posing as children but actually run by adults.

“You were shown images of girls clearly under the age of 16. You were persistent in how you initiated contact.”

Gulseven sent explicit photographs and videos of himself to the accounts, including one where he could be seen committing a sexual act.

He also asked for explicit photographs in return. 

Judge Gilbart said: “You tried to send them obscene material, material that would be damaging to a young person.”

Gulseven then arranged to meet one of the accounts, unknowingly arranging to meet the people who were behind it.

The people behind the account broadcast the meeting on social media and police then had to be called to the scene.

Concluding, Judge Gilbart said: “You are of previous good character.

"You are a Turkish national, married with adult children, and as a result of this, your marriage is now over and you are of no fixed abode.”

Judge Gilbart also said that Gulseven lost his job due to the matters.

He was evaluated as having a medium risk of reoffending and posing a medium risk to young girls.

Judge Gilbart added: “You have taken little responsibility and are seeking to place blame on others.”

He sentenced Gulseven to 81 weeks, just over 18 months, in prison.

Gulseven will also have to keep police informed of his personal details for 10 years following conviction.

A sexual harm prevention order was also placed on him for 10 years.