A 46-year-old man from Ipswich has been given a two-year community order after attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Joseph Reeve, of Philip Road, was sentenced at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to the offence.

The court heard that Reeve messaged a person he knew was under 16 for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

Reeve’s location will be electronically monitored with a tag for one year and he will undergo mental health treatment for 12 months along with 40 days of rehabilitation activities.

A sexual harm prevention order was also imposed until 22 October 2029 which prohibits the defendant from having any contact or communication with any child under the age of 16.

He is also banned from going within 50 metres of any school, or community play area likely to be used by children under 16 and banned from using any computer or device capable of accessing the internet unless he has notified the appropriate authorities.

Reeve must also not delete any internet history and must make the device immediately available on request for inspection by a police officer.

The defendant was also told not to use any false IP address, name, alias or persona while using the internet and ordered to pay costs of £199.