A DRUG dealing paedophile was caught in an online sting after pestering a “12-year-old boy” to send him nude pictures.

Rhyan Tranter thought he was chatting online with a schoolboy from Cwmbran but “Roman” was actually an undercover police officer.

Newport Crown Court heard how the 31-year-old defendant from the Abergavenny area had been exchanging messages with the decoy on social media app Kik.

When the police arrived to arrest him in August, they found he was also dealing cannabis after they discovered drugs at his home.

Nigel Fryer, prosecuting, said: “The defendant first made communication with the undercover police officer on Sunday, May 16 on the Kik social media platform.

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“He told him he was 30 and ‘Roman’ replied that he was 12, nearly 13, and asked him if that was OK because ‘some men can be funny about it’.

“The defendant asked him, ‘Any nudes?’ He continued to pester him for pictures.”

Mr Fryer added how Tranter sent the undercover officer a sexual picture of himself.

During the raid on the defendant's home for his electronic devices, police found 54.1g of cannabis.

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The prosecutor said: “He told officers he had been supplying to people he knew for the last two years and sold it for £10 a gram.”

The defendant admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity and attempting to cause/incite a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity – no penetration.

Tranter also pleaded guilty to supplying cannabis and possession of the class B drug with intent to supply.

Peter Donnison, mitigating, said his client had already served the equivalent of a three-month prison sentence after he was remanded in custody following his arrest.

Tranter, of Usk View, Govilon, was jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years.

He was ordered by the judge, Recorder Mark Powell QC, to undergo a sex offender programme and complete a 40-day rehabilitation activity order.

The defendant must register as a sex offender for five years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention until 2026.

Tranter was also ordered to pay £240 prosecution costs and a £149 surcharge.