A 30-year-old man could face jail after being caught trying to communicate with a decoy "13-year-old girl" in a police sting.

Thomas Jones, previously pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity.

Between March 12, 2020, and April 9, 2020, Jones, previously of Valley Walk, Felixstowe, discussed sexual acts and sent pictures of his erect penis to a girl he believed to be 13.

But specialist police officers were actually behind the girl's online profile and Jones was arrested.

Colette Harper, prosecuting, told Suffolk Magistrates' Court that Jones had no previous convictions.

Jones, now of Springfield Close, Weybourne, near Holt, Norfolk, appeared before magistrates in Ipswich on Wednesday for sentence following the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Kemi Rufai, representing Jones, said there was no actual victim in the case given a decoy was used.

She said her client struggled with his mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and was put on furlough.

She added the offending was "completely out of character" and he was "fully ready to face the consequences of his actions".

But magistrates committed the case to the crown court on a date to be fixed as they did not believe their sentencing powers were great enough.

Jones was previously made subject to an interim sexual harm prevention order and interim notification requirements ahead of his sentence.