A PAEDOPHILE who tried to lure a teenage boy to his house with gifts and bribes warned his victim: “You had better not get me into trouble because I’ve done nothing wrong."

Richard Vaughan, from Clacton, groomed his victim “gradually and by stealth” from April to September last year after he came into contact with him through the now-convicted paedophile Darren Hornsby.

After obtaining the 13-year-old boy’s number, Vaughan started sending him sexual messages including one which read, “I am always up for fun and I can pay well”, and “I can’t wait till you’re 16, then I can have fun”, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Jailed – Richard Vaughan will spend 18 months in jailJailed – Richard Vaughan will spend 18 months in jail (Image: Essex Police)

Brian Reece, prosecuting, said: “It is clear the defendant was trying to entice the boy into a sexual relationship gradually and by stealth.

“He enticed him with offers of money, alcohol and vapes.

“He asked the boy if he would stay the night at his home where he could stay the night on the sofa.”

The court also heard how Vaughan 55, had met up with the boy on Clacton seafront and “used gifts and bribes in an attempt to get him to come alone to your address for sexual purposes”.

Vaughan initially denied the offences but later admitted on the first day of his trial to attempting to meet a child after grooming and sexual communication with a child.

Jeremy Hayes, mitigating, said Vaughan had endured a “grim, lonely life” and there was no sexual contact between the defendant and the victim.

He said: “In my submission it was the defendant who got cold feet about them meeting up, and even went as far to say he would wait until the victim was 16.

“Most of these texts are when he was very, very drunk – it’s clear from what he says that was the case.

“As for anything sexual, I don’t think he wanted that – that is as far as it went."

Bribe – Richard Vaughan 'bribed' his victim with vapes, Chelmsford Crown Court heardBribe – Richard Vaughan 'bribed' his victim with vapes, Chelmsford Crown Court heard (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

“Nevertheless, some of these messages were clearly sexually charged,” he added.

Jailing Vaughan for 18 months, His Honour Judge Richard Wilkin said: “You said you don’t have a sexual interest in children and just wanted to be friends – that is at odds with the messages you sent.”

Vaughan, of St Osyth Road, was also given a ten-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his victim and will be a registered sex offender for ten years.

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