THIS week's Crime Files takes a look back into the not so distant past, with the story of a sex offender who was jailed after travelling to meet what he thought was a 12 year-old girl.

Kenneth McKellar-Bond travelled from his home in Malvern in December 2018 to meet a 12 year-old girl for sex, but was arrested shortly after wearing nothing but a dressing gown.

He believed he was travelling to meet up with a father in Derby and his 12 year-old daughter.

Unbeknownst to him, this was a police sting, with officers pretending to be the "father".

The 57 year-old left his home in Malvern and booked a hotel room near East Midlands Airport, bringing with him a sickening list of items to be used in the abuse.

When he was arrested, officers found wrapped gifts as well as sex toys, ropes, wine and viagra.

Having checked into the hotel, former IT project manager McKellar-Bond sent a text to the "father" with directions to the hotel.

Derbyshire Police confirmed that when they arrived, McKellar-Bond answered the door wearing nothing but a dressing gown.

Appearing at Derby Crown Court, McKellar-Bond pleaded guilty to intentionally arranging sexual activity and attempted sexual communications with a child.

Despite this, officers said he showed no remorse during his interviews, saying the level of detail he put into planning the sickening trip to Derby was "extremely disturbing".

Mc-Kellar Bond was sentenced to three years in prison by a judge at Derby Crown Court on August 9, 2019.

Following this, Detective Inspector Paul Carrington, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit's Online Investigation Team, said he was glad they had arrested him before he could commit any abuse of the type he was planning.

He said: "The level of planning that Bond put into his trip to the East Midlands was extremely disturbing and his Internet chat was of the most graphic type imaginable.

“Within a short space of time Bond was doing everything he could, believing this was a real child, to commit horrific sexual offences.

“Bond showed no remorse during his interviews and we will continue to do all that we can to make sure that dangerous predators like him are caught at the earliest opportunity.”

Police sting operations like this are becoming increasingly common, with both police forces and online "paedophile hunter" groups carrying out many stings.

In these cases, the offender often starts talking on social media or chat rooms with someone they believe to either be a child or a fellow abuser.

In reality, these are adults performing the roles of "decoys" who will often arrange to meet up with the abuser.

When this happens, police are usually called and the would-be offender is arrested for attempting to meet up.