A financial adviser snared trying to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex by a group of vigilantes known as the “Internet Interceptors” was spared jail today.

Jonathan Hunt, 41, set up a profile on the internet site Badoo with the profile “looking for a pretty girls to date. Will treat you on dates and make you feel very special xx…”

He began chatting with a girl called “Holly” whom he believed to be 15 years old, telling her she was attractive and asking if she was looking for a date.

Hunt did not realise he was in fact talking to Sarah Doherty, a 36-year-old member of the Internet Interceptors.

He denied arranging to meet a girl under the age of 16 following grooming, but was convicted after trial at the Old Bailey.

He was spared jail today because he has spent the last six months in custody following his arrest.

TV presenter Esther Rantzen, the founder of charity Childline, was in court to watch proceedings as a guest of the judge.

During his trial, the court heard how Hunt offered to take the teen for lunch and take her shopping, promising her he earned “loads of money” and that he could buy her things.

Between September 8 and 14 last year his messages to her became more sexually explicit, and he repeatedly tried to arrange to meet her.

In their first conversation, he wrote: “Hi Holly x what are you looking for? Your photos are beautiful. Are you looking for a date?”

She replied: “Hi, Yes, I’m from London I am 15 years old, just on hear talking to a friend I bet you don’t want to chat now.”

He replied: “HaHa I’d think my age would put you off not the other way round and commented that she looked 18 rather than 15.

He replied: “Haha of course. Would you date me though? I’d love to.”

Hunt – who runs his firms Cedars IFA from his home in Rickmansworth – coaxed the girl into exchanging details about where they lived.

At one stage he even asked for a selfie in her school uniform.

When she told him the camera on her phone was broken he offered to buy her a new one.

The paedophile was apparently aware that he could be being trapped by police or vigilantes, asking her once: “I do have one little worry… are you really real?”

Hunt eventually arranged to meet the teen at Plumstead Station at 1pm on Wednesday 14 September last year – the middle of a school day.

He was confronted by the vigilantes – who filmed their exchange until police arrived.

Hunt was sentenced to 22 months jail, suspended for 18 months and also ordered to complete a 60 hour sexual offences prevention or programme.