A dangerous paedophile, described as ‘devoid of any self-control’, has been jailed for trying to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex.

Andrew Chaplin thought he had arranged to meet a schoolboy after two weeks of grooming on dating app Grindr and WhatsApp – but was instead met by police in Ipswich’s Christchurch Park on February 11 this year.

Chaplin, 46, of Cemetery Road, Ipswich, who has been on remand at Norwich prison since admitting five offences at magistrates’ court two days after his arrest, refused to leave his cell to hear Judge Martyn Levett hand down a four-year jail term with an extended licence period of eight years upon his release – which must be approved by the parole board.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to view images of sexual activity.

He also admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order by possessing a smartphone, as well as possession of two grams of cannabis found during a subsequent search of his address.

In 2017, Chaplin was jailed for 20 months for breaching a sexual offences prevention order and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. On that occasion, he lured a 13-year-old boy into a car after exchanging a series of Facebook messages.

At the time he was jailed, Chaplin was described by the probation service as manipulative, duplicitous and at high risk of causing serious harm to boys.

He had already been required to sign the sex offenders’ register after being released on licence from a three-year jail term handed down in 2015 for engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old boy.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Chaplin initiated contact with an undercover officer on Grindr, before sending a series of explicit messages and images, describing and depicting sexual activity, and finally arranging to meet up.

Chaplin, who had previously refused to leave his cell to be sentenced on June 15, was jailed in his absence by Judge Levett, who said: “In common with many other entrenched paedophiles, Mr Chaplin cannot stay away from contacting young boys.

“His behaviour is corrupt and devoid of any self-control.”

Judge Levett ordered that Chaplin be subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order following his release.