John Fife jailed in Cumbria Police child grooming sting
A Cumbrian man has been jailed for trying to lure a 14-year-old girl into sex, unaware he was in contact with an undercover police officer.
John Fife, 39, from Grange-over-Sands, was jailed for three years after admitting attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
He even offered the "girl" £2,000 not to have sex with anyone else.
Judge Paul Batty told Carlisle Crown Court Fife had engaged in the "grossest of sexualised discussions".
The court heard that during the undercover operation Fife indicated he wanted to take the girl's virginity.
He also sent an indecent photograph of himself during private online conversations, which he insisted should be deleted to keep him out of trouble.
Fife pleaded guilty to four counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity during a two-week period late last year.
Judge Batty told him: "You engaged in the grossest of sexualised discussions with this person, believing her to be a child.