A married man who spent months sexting what he thought was a teenage boy has been jailed.
Binman Robert Pearson has lost his family, his job of 27 years and his liberty after messaging what he thought was a 14-year-old boy about sex.
The 56-year-old, of Honley , was snared by paedophile hunters Team Impact who confronted him on the doorstep of his home in January.
Minutes later, his shocked wife and son arrived home and he was arrested .
Rukhshanda Hussain, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court that the messaging began in November last year and lasted for several months.
The fake profile had been set up by an adult from Team Impact, but Pearson knew the age of the ‘boy’ from the beginning.
Miss Hussain said he repeatedly turned the conversation sexual, asking the boy about his school, how he felt about other boys in his school and for a photo of him in his school uniform.
He said he would show him gay porn and arranged to meet up, talking about oral sex and even penetrative sex.
Sajid Majeed, defending, said: “He has hidden an aspect of his life from his wife in terms of his sexuality and he has not dealt with it in the best way and perhaps that has resulted in this offending.”
He continued: “His wife and son want nothing to do with him.
“That relationship, I think, of 29 years is now over.
“He is now facing spending the rest of his life without the two people most important to him.”
He said that Pearson was suspended from his job until the outcome of the proceedings, but later resigned and no longer works for the council.
He also said: “There were considered to be a high risk of reprisals in the community.
“That’s one of the main reasons he was remanded in custody - out of fear of what would happen if he was returned to the community.”
He added that his client has now “learned his lesson”.
In February, Pearson, who has one previous conviction for criminal damage, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.
Jailing Pearson for eight months, of which he will serve half before being eligible to be released, Judge Robin Mairs said: “You were exposed, not just to the justice system but to your family as well.”
He must also sign the sex offender register for 10 years and was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.
The court heard that the maximum sentence for such an offence is one of two years’ imprisonment.
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Pearson appeared to give a slight smile as he was handed the sentence, while the eyes of a woman sat in the public gallery with another woman and a man welled up with tears.
After the hearing, the man who confronted Pearson for Team Impact said he was disappointed with the sentence.
He said: “I am highly disappointed with the sentence. I can only hope this deters Robert from committing any further offences when he is released.
“He was one of the most tactical groomers I have come across since starting my hunting. I feel eight months isn’t long enough.”
