Philip Mottram was arrested and search of his home revealed he had condoms, lubricant and a sex toy all prepared for his deviant plan.
The 45-year-old shared a series of highly sexualised messages on Kik and Snapchat before arranging to meet up for sex, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said the undercover officer made it clear very early on in the conversation that they were posing as a 14-year-old girl.
She said the defendant’s messages swiftly turned sexual and he asked her for photographs before asking when her 15th birthday was and trying to arrange to meet up.
“The defendant asked her ‘do you want to do it in the car or back at mine’,” she said.
“She agreed to do it his home and he told her that no-one would know as it would be dark.”
Miss Haigh said Mottram was arrested in the Asda car park in Peterlee after the defendant turned up expecting to meet the child.
Mottram, of De Havilland Way, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and a charge of arranging the commission of a child sex offence between March 5 and 21 last year.
Richard Herrmann, mitigating, urged the judge to pass a non-custodial sentence as his client, who was born deaf, would struggle in a prison setting.
He said: “The defendant is an intelligent man, so he understands the position he has put himself into. It is very clear to him.”
Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Mottram to two years in custody, suspended for two years.
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She said: “You spoke to, as far as you were concerned, to a 14-year-old schoolgirl in the most inappropriate sexually charged, disgusting fashion.
“You travelled to meet that child with the full intention of having sexual intercourse with her – you are 45-years-old.”
Mottram was also made subject of a ten-year sexual harm prevention order and told to attend 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days and was issued with a 90-day trail monitoring order.
The Judge added: “You should understand that if you breach these orders and come back in front of me, I will send you to prison without batting an eyelid.”