A married man in the UK on a visa was caught "red handed" after self-proclaimed paedophile hunters set up fake online profiles pretending to be underage girls.

Suresh Varsani is behind bars after sending explicit messages and pictures to two girls he believed were aged 12 and 14.

The "Paedo Hunters 24/7" group caught the 27-year-old - phone in hand - after he shared his location and told the "child" he was in his work changing room with an erect penis, a court heard.

But Varsani, who admitted sending pornography to the "children", was snared by self-proclaimed paedophile hunters who pretended to be underage girls online.

He was jailed for three years and four months for six counts of sex offences at Harrow Crown Court on Monday (November 27).

The court heard how Varsani had text conversations with two different adults, each of who were pretending to be a child in order to catch paedophiles, using the mobile phone app Nearby.

He engaged in explicit messaging and sent unsolicited graphic photographs of himself, and adult pornography, over the messaging service, the court heard.

Suresh Varsani was snared by self-proclaimed paedophile hunters

Samantha Cohen, prosecuting, said: "Varsani, in each case, initiated contact with the child. I shall use the word 'child' in inverted commas.

"He sent photographs which he had taken, in the moment, of his own erect penis and in relation to both 'children', instructions of how each could digitally penetrate themselves."

From August 21 to September 2 this year, Varsani thought he was talking to a 12-year-old girl - in fact, who was a member of the group "Paedo Hunters 24/7".

But after becoming "increasingly disturbed" by the conversation and his persistence, the member became "concerned for herself and her fellow group members", the court heard.

The "Paedo Hunters 24/7" group confronted Varsani and caught him "red-handed" on September 9.

Ms Cohen said: "A group of five went to London, and during the course of that meeting he was engaging in chat, thinking it was the young girl .

"He said he was in work, in the changing room with a "hard c**k".

"When they (the group) got there, they asked the owner if he was there - they went up to the changing room and there he was with his phone in his hand."

Police arrested Varsani the same day and he gave a "no comment" interview.

Varsani was sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on November 27

Varsani, who required a Gujarati interpreter, came to the UK four years ago on a visa and risks losing his marriage after his offending behaviour, the court heard.

Ms Cohen, who described Varsani's actions as "classic grooming behaviour" said: "From a separate group called Keeping Kids Safe, a profile was created.

"Almost immediately (Varsani) asked "Do you like sex?" and sent pictures of adults having sex and discussed this with the fictitious child.

"He sent a blurred photograph of himself and asked her to delete it so her mother wouldn't see it."

'They would have suffered devastating long-term effects'

In sentencing, Judge Dean described Varsani as "obsessed" and "out of control" before he was "caught red-handed".

She said: "Matters escalated extremely quickly... You instructed young girls on how to digitally penetrate themselves, so they could send you videos to watch.

"The only saving grace in this case is that you didn't attempt to meet them.

"Had these been real girls, who carried out the instructions that you gave them, they would have suffered devastating long-term effects."

Gavin Irwin, defending, said: "(Varsani) lives a somewhat isolated life with his wife and her father in the UK on a visa.

"This sorry episode will have enormous repercussions including the separation of his family permanently."

Varsani was jailed for three years and four months for two counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, 18 months jail to run concurrently for two counts of attempting to cause a child to watch a sex act and one year imprisonment to run concurrently for two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He will also appear on the Sex Offender Register for life, was ordered to pay a victim surcharge, and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on release from prison if he is not deported.

Varsani, of Harrow Road, Wembley, previously pleaded guilty to all six counts at Harrow Crown Court on October 16.

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