A judge issued an arrest warrant for a Nottingham man who failed to appear at his sentencing for internet child grooming charges.
Ricky Slade, 29, was due at Nottingham Crown court this morning, but did not attend.
At a hearing last month he admitted four charges after being cornered and videoed by members of a ‘paedophile hunting’ action group.
He was released on bail while a pre-sentence report was prepared, and was told to be back in court today. He was expected to be given a prison sentence.
When it became clear Slade was not at court, Judge Stuart Rafferty QC issued a bench warrant, an arrest warrant typically used when a defendant fails to appear at court.
Online group ‘The Hunted One’ used a decoy fake profile of a 10-year-old girl, which Slade arranged to meet for sex in November. Instead he was met by members of the group, who called police.
Slade was due to be sentenced for three charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and one attempt to meet a child for sex.
Sentencing has been adjourned until a later date, pending his arrest.