You said that right. If the world was sane, then instead they'd lock up the police officer in a lunatic asylum, and prevent him from ever having another job again. Our concept of good and bad is all upside down.

Hundreds of men have served prison sentences for exactly the same as this guy and they should never of been imprisoned, the judge was correct and there was no 13 year old.
I am sure there are plenty who have come here who got put away for this would be nice to know the exact number, a total waste of money.
At least this judge had his head screwed on.

I have little sympathy with anyone who attempts to have sex with a thirteen year old, but without the power of mind-reading, how do they know he thought it was a child and not an adult, seen as you have to be older register for the site?

"The judge added that, although there was technically no victim to Dowd’s crimes, he effectively punished himself with his actions by losing his good character."

The law simply cannot treat someone who was basically entrapped by a police officer in the same way as a real person talking to a real child should be.

The lesson being, you don't really know who you have been talking to but victimless crimes should be seen for exactly that.