A MARRIED theme park enthusiast faces jail after being snared in a paedophile hunter sting trying to meet children for sex at an amusement park.

Andrew Sealey, 39, admitted having a text message discussion engaging in sexual activity with three children he thought were aged 14 or 15.

However, when he arrived at Paultons Park theme park in Romsey, Hants, he discovered he had actually been speaking to adults posing as a boy called 'James' and two girls called 'Jilly' and Alice'.

Southampton Crown Court heard he even gave instructions to the 'children' and was well aware they were under the age of consent.

Sealey, who appeared via video link from prison wearing a grey round neck sweater, admitted eight counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted one count of attempting to meet a child, namely 'James', following sexual grooming at the theme park on May 28 this year.

Sealey, of Milborne Port, Dorset, was filmed arriving at the theme park with his wife and security had to intervene in the car park. He was later arrested by police.

The group behind the sting are known as Not Of Criminal Element - which is run by a man called Shane Brannigan.

Sealey denied a further count of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, namely 'Jilly'.

Rob Griffiths, defending, explained: "These are all charges of attempt because these people never existed.

"While he did arrange to meet 'Jilly', he says he was there at Paultons Park with his wife and there wasn't any attempt to meet her."

Sealey was told he would be sentenced on August 4 and was remanded in custody.

Judge Peter Ralls QC, who adjourned the case for sentencing, told him: "Mr Sealey, you have heard all of that and your pleas have been accepted.

"The crown are not going to pursue count nine and that offence will lie on file.

"I'm asking to a pre sentence report to understand a bit more about the case, so I'm adjourning the sentencing until August 4, and I think it's appropriate you should be produced at court that day." He told him he could expect a custodial sentence.

Sealey runs an online blog on the website Theme Park Tourist.

Paultons Park is a 140 acre family theme park with over 70 rides and attractions - including Peppa Pig World based on the well known television character.

In addition, there is a Lost Kingdom area with animatronic dinosaurs and a number of species of birds and animals.

Paultons Park declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Echo.

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In a report carried in this paper into the sentencing of Andrew Sealey who admitted engaging is a text message conversations involving sexual activity with children he believed to be 14 or 15 it was stated he ran a blog on the website Theme Park Tourist.

We wish to clarify that although Sealey did leave limited comments as part of his registration details on the site he did not run a blog.

We are happy to clarify this point.