YORK'S top judge has ordered a criminal investigation into the activities of an apparent online paedophile hunter after he appeared to impersonate a police officer.

Rachael Landin, prosecuting, said the “member of the public” went to a suspected sex offender’s place of work and told him he belonged to the “cyber unit” and that they could have a conversation “outside or at the station”.

He was connected to a social media account that purported to belong to a 14-year-old girl.

Defence barrister John Bottomley said the man had also accosted the suspect’s mother and that the suspect had learning difficulties.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, said the description of the man’s activities sounded like “impersonation of a police officer and that is an offence".

He told Ms Landin and York Crown Court: “I want that investigated.”

He adjourned sentencing of sex offender Jamie Elwood, 26, for a psychological report saying that his offence was of the kind that usually resulted in a prison sentence.

Elwood, of Green Lane, Acomb, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child over a four-day period in August last year.

Ms Landin told him Elwood had chatted online to someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl called Olivia. He lied that he himself was 18 and quickly turned the conversation sexual.

He repeatedly asked and begged “Olivia” for sexual pictures of her, saying “please, please, please” and when “she” said she was uncomfortable with that offered to pay her for them.

He did not threaten “Olivia”.

In reality, the social media account had been set up by a “member of the public” who passed details on to the person who accosted Elwood and his mother, said Ms Landin.

Police then arrested Elwood and the arrest was live streamed on Facebook, said Ms Landin. 

Mr Bottomley said it had taken police 10 months to charge Elwood though the people involved in the “Olivia” social media account had prepared the case for them.

“Were it not for the fact one of them impersonated a police officer, one would say they did a good job,” said the judge.

Mr Bottomley said according to Elwood’s mother, Elwood was mentally well below his physical age.  Although that was not a defence, it did diminish his culpability for his offence.

As well as adjourning for the psychological report, the judge said probation officers could assess Elwood for the help they could give a person with mental health difficulties.