A SEX offender was caught after a paedophile hunter made a citizen’s arrest in a busy shopping centre as he waited to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Saman Salih, 43, was trapped following a sting after thinking he was going on a date with an underage teenager at Newport’s Friars Walk, the city’s crown court heard.

PH Balance members had created a fake online profile for a girl called Ellie, and the defendant made contact through Badoo, a dating-focused social networking app.

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Prosecutor Owen Williams said Salih, from Newport, was told by 'her': “I’m 14 and from Cardiff. Do you mind that I’m 14?

“He replied, ‘I no have a problem. I like you.’”

Newport Crown Court heard how the defendant’s comments became increasingly sexualised and he offered to take ‘Ellie’ shopping and for a meal in the city.

A female member of PH Balance had telephone conversations with Salih to keep the entrapment operation going and he offered to take her away for a break in Bournemouth.

A date was arranged for them to meet up at Friars Walk just after 10am on the morning of December 19, 2018.

Salih had promised: “Darling, whatever you want. I want to buy something for you.”

Mr Williams said: “When the defendant arrived a member of PH Balance, who knew what he looked like from his online profile, performed a citizen’s arrest and contacted the police.

“Officers arrived shortly after and he was arrested. He told the police, ‘I have been trapped by them. I’m not like that.’"

South Wales Argus:

The court heard that Salih had initially denied the offences and claimed ‘Ellie’ had told him she was 18.

He later pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Mr Williams said Salih had five previous convictions for 17 offences but none that were relevant to this offending.

Judge Richard Twomlow asked why the case had taken more than a year to come to court, but the prosecution could offer no explanation other than the defendant was released under investigation.

Suzanne Payne, mitigating, said her client could be rehabilitated and told the court he was now in a relationship with a new partner and worked as a delivery driver.

The judge said he was “baffled” as to why the case had taken until now to be resolved after Salih was arrested in December 2018 and he called the delay “completely unnecessary”.

The defendant was jailed for nine months, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Salih will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years and be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time.

He must also pay a victim surcharge.

In more crime news, twelve men have gone on trial accused of being part of an alleged conspiracy to supply heroin and crack cocaine to drug addicts in Newport and across South Wales. Click here for more.