An ex-lorry driver living in Burton who encouraged what he thought was a 13-year-old girl to send him indecent images telling her, "I like young girls; they look sexy" has been handed a suspended jail sentence.

Stephen Brown, of Uxbridge Street, used the Kik social media messenger in May 2015 to begin talking to a person he thought was called Lauren and aged just 13.

Discovering her age he said he was 34 and made the comment: “I like young girls they look sexy”. Brown asked her to send him a picture because he wanted to see if she looked "HOT".

After a series of more suggestive comments Brown asked: "Can anyone see ur phone" before sending an explicit image.

The 37-year-old talked to who he believed to be the girl 11 more times on Kik between May 12 and July 7, in 2015, a court has heard. The court was told he was not talking to a 13-year-old and the authorities were alerted, and he was arrested.

Brown continued to ask her for photographs and after receiving a picture of a pair of knickers he asked if she would meet in person.

He asked her to confirm that she wanted to meet him, saying: "Even though it could be classed as illegal what we do; "as long as no-one catches us we will be fine x", and: "The old bill would lock me up x lol".

Brown’s messages became more explicit and he reminded her to delete her messages, "so no one finds them".

On June 18, 2015, Brown, formerly of Milner Close, Caterham, Surrey, sent two pictures of himself to the victim - one lying on his back with his naked torso exposed and the other a close up of his private parts with a pair of naked legs resting on a duvet.

A National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation showed the messages were sent from Brown’s mobile phone. When first interviewed by police he denied any knowledge of sending pictures and talking to Lauren.

During his second interview he confirmed that the facial images and two explicit images were his and that he had taken the photographs. He tried to blame someone else for using his phone and said he only ever looked at farming related websites.

NCA officers found mobile phones and a tablet at Brown’s home containing evidence of the online conversations and indecent images of children – one category A (the most serious), six category B, 57 at category C and one extreme image.

He admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, possessing extreme pornography and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. A charge of attempting to commit an offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming was left to lie on file.

He was given a 21-month jail sentence suspended for two years at Croydon Crown Court.

Brown was also put on the sex offenders' register for 15 years and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration. He was also ordered to attend a 30-day rehabilitation course, perform 200 hours of community service and told to pay £500 costs.

Senior investigating officer Robert Willis said: "Every child in sexual abuse images is a victim and everyone using these sick images reinforces the market for the abuse. Brown’s deviant interest in children is clear for all to see in the messages he sent."