A loner was snared by paedophile hunters after turning up to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old boy following online discussions about organising a threesome with another child.
When Graham West arrived at the meeting point, in possession of condoms, he was confronted by Dark Justice.
The group had set up a decoy profile on dating app Grindr in an effort to catch those looking to engage sexually with children.
Newcastle Crown Court heard West had started exchanging messages with the profile of the "boy" in November 2016 on gay dating site Grindr and moved the conversations on to Whatsapp and Kik.
Philip Morley, prosecuting, said West had been told he was talking to a 15-year-old but carried on with the conversation anyway.
When he turned up to meet the child in January 2017, he was confronted by members from the organisation, who had alerted the police.
Mr Morley said: "The defendant, during these conversations, makes reference to wanting to arrange a threesome with another 15-year-old male.
"The conversations continued throughout November and December though in the main they were not overtly sexual.
"The defendant makes a number of requests to meet."
The court heard when West turned up to meet the teen boy, he was arrested and found to have two condoms.
During police interview, West said he thought he was acting as a "mentor" for the boy and that the sexual comments had been in "jest" .
He said the condoms had been picked up at a sexual health clinic and he had no intention to use them.
West, of Canterbury Way, Wideopen, North Tyneside, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Judge Sarah Mallett sentenced him to a community order for three years with sex offender programme requirements.
West must abide by a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offenders register for five years.
The judge told him; "I think work needs to be done with you."
Sue Hirst, defending, said West, who appeared in court using a wheelchair, has significant health problems and lives an "isolated existence".
Miss Hirst added: "He deeply regrets allowing the situation to go as far as it did.
"Fortunately there was not a real 15-year-old behind the conversation.
"Mr West has learned his lesson.
"There has been no further trouble since this, which was three-and-a-half years ago."
The court heard there was no real explanation for the delay in the case being concluded.
