Sinister paedophile groomed girl, 12, over Facebook

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how "sinister" Jamie Chance had handed himself in to the police after the messages were discovered by his victim's mother.

Chance had previously been allowed to cut short a sex offenders' programme imposed for possessing indecent images of children three years ago – because he had convinced his supervisors it had been successful, the court was told. But he then went on to target the girl online, asking her if she wanted to have sex with him and suggested extreme and violent sexual activities.

The court heard that Chance had also met up with the girl and kissed her on March 1.

The 27-year-old, of New Street, in Oakengates, Telford, admitted charges of sexual assault on a child under 13, and three counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity at an earlier hearing. He appeared at court yesterday for sentencing.

Chance was jailed for 32 months and will be required to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life upon his release. He can only be released after he has served at least half of his sentence and would remain on licence.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, described some of the messages to the court and said one of the conversations continued with "increasingly violent suggestions towards the victim".

Judge Jonathan Gosling also revealed how Chance had previously been convicted of 10 counts of possessing indecent images of children in 2012 and was given a community order – but had his sex offenders' programme cut short.

Judge Gosling said: "This is a difficult case. There is a deep dark side to you, very sinister, over which you do not have complete control. I have had to ask if you are a dangerous offender. In the past you viewed revolting images of children and managed to convince people your community sex offenders' programme was such a success that it finished early, and then you turned your attentions to this 12-year-old girl."

Judge Gosling

told Chance: "You openly accept you were sexually attracted to her and moved from photos to grooming her in a calculated way with the intention of putting your distorted thoughts into actions.

"The messages are extreme and very distressing to read and there is a huge disparity between you and her."

Mr Edwards said Chance had told police the messages made him feel "happy", although he said he had no intention of acting upon them.

Danny Smith, for Chance, said: "Albeit he has these very dark, vile thoughts, they are ones he recognises are worrying and not ones he tries to normalise in any way."