Jean De-Castle-Lynne guilty of grooming fictitious teen Published duration 3 December 2018

image copyright South Beds News Agency image caption Thomas De-Castle-Lynne was confronted by "paedophile hunters" at Stevenage railway station, a court heard

A kitchen porter who bit into a "paedophile hunter's" finger during a struggle has been jailed for 10 years for assault and attempted grooming.

Thomas Jean De-Castle-Lynne, 46, thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl at Stevenage rail station when he was cornered by vigilantes.

In the struggle he bit into nurse Steven Little's finger so hard it later had to be amputated.

Judge Michael Kay QC said it was a "savage attack".

De-Castle-Lynne was trapped by a group called "Catching On Line Predators", St Albans Crown Court heard.

Mr Little told the court: "He clamped on to my finger with his teeth. I remember excruciating pain."

De-Castle-Lynne, of Parsons Green, Hammersmith, was convicted of attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and common assault.

Prosecutor Angus Robertson said: "The group set up a decoy Facebook account in the fictitious name of Maddie Parker.

"The defendant made contact and in conversations he made sexual suggestions."

'Sexually explicit conversation'

De-Castle-Lynne appeared for sentence via a video link from Bedford prison.

His barrister Daniel O'Malley said the defendant was aggrieved at the way he was put down by a group of people he did not know.

Jailing him Judge Kay said: "You began a conversation with 'Maddie' - a 14 year old female. In fact there was no such female.

"The conversation was sexually explicit. Within a short period you were arranging to meet 'Maddie' at Stevenage station."

The "wild and savage attack" had left Mr Little with physical and psychological damage, the judge said.

De-Castle-Lynne must register as a sex offender for life.