A MAN who was battered by vigilantes has been jailed for attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl he met online.

Andrew O’Neill, aged 26, of Castlehey, Skelmersdale, thought he was meeting a 14-year-old girl he had been chatting to on the internet, but when he arrived in Market Place, Wigan, he was instead met by a group of men who beat him up while another man filmed the incident.

Later that day O’Neill reported the assault to police and he was arrested and later charged with grooming.

The incident, which happened on Saturday, April 18, was one of two thought to have been carried out by the same vigilantes, the other of which happened at Atherton train station on the same day.

O'Neill was today jailed for 12 months at Liverpool Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl under 16 after grooming.

He has also been ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Det Insp Martin Reddington said: “O’Neill was targeted because he had illegally arranged to meet up with an underage girl online.

“We do not condone vigilante action - it is dangerous and anyone with concerns about grooming should always report it to police.

“Grooming and arranging to meet up with children you have met over the internet is a criminal offence and if you are caught doing this you will be arrested and prosecuted.”

Two men, aged 25 and 53, have been arrested on suspicion of assault and blackmail and bailed until June 18.