A MAN who attempted to engage in a sexually-charged conversation with a child admitted using false names to avoid the “vigilante group” which brought him to justice.

Brian Taylor, 53, breached a sexual harm prevention order put in place following his conviction at Chelmsford Crown Court in November 2018.

Hauled back before the same court, Judge Christopher Morgan said Taylor had breached the order “just days” after its imposition.

He said: “That conviction arose out of your attempt to converse with a child in sexual terms.

“Within a matter of days, having been informed by your supervising officer that you should not use the computers at the library, I’m told that over the period of a number of months you were using that computer – on 18 separate occasions.

“You would say this was to search for accommodation and employment.

“But the suspicion is, so shortly after the order, that you were in fact engaging in a way that you knew couldn’t be detected.”

The court heard Taylor failed to notify police of his usage of aliases on mobile phone messaging services.

He told police in interview he had changed his name to avoid “the vigilante groups” who had brought about the evidence which resulted in his 2018 conviction.

Taylor admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order, failing to comply with notification requirements and a breach of a suspended sentence order.

Taylor, of Station Road, Walton, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

For the breach of the original suspended sentence of nine months imprisonment suspended for two years, he was fined £500.