A PERVERT was snared by undercover police after trying to arrange and encourage the sexual abuse of a baby during depraved online chat.

Carlisle Crown Court heard shocking details of warped exchanges Mitchell Cass had with what he thought was a like-minded man late last year.

Cass, 23, instigated sick sexual online discussion during conversations on 12 separate occasions with what was actually an undercover officer.

Cass pretended, falsely, he was a father himself as he encouraged someone he believed to be another dad to sexually abuse his infant child. He expressed excitement about travelling to meet the other man and his alleged baby in Lancashire, believing child abuse would occur in a hotel room.

But prosecutor Tim Evans said: “When the defendant arrived at the rendezvous point at the hotel in Lancaster he sent a message to the undercover officer stating he was there, and would wait in his car to be met.

“He was indeed met - by police officers who arrested him.”

When interviewed, Cass confessed to viewing indecent images and engaging in deeply disturbing online chat about child abuse for six years. He had never physically touched a youngster, the court heard, but accepted he was a “danger to children”.

Cass had deleted all chats and images just weeks before his arrest, before reinstalling a messenger app.

Hundreds of illegal images of children - including babies - were found on his electronic devices by police, although this month-long collection was deemed by a judge to be just the “tip of the iceberg”.

Cass, of Yeathouse Road, Frizington, admitted attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence; and encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence believing it would be committed. He also admitted making and distributing indecent images.

Rachel Faux, defending, said Cass was “motivated not to re-offend”.

“Mr Cass is extremely conscious of the effect this has had on his family,” she stated, describing his “shame and guilt”, and adding: “The effect upon his family is something he finds incredibly difficult to bear.”

After reading detailed background information and expert reports, Judge Peter Davies jailed Cass for six years.