A Corby man who sent a lewd image and sexual messages to a young girl has been jailed.

The paedophile, of Shakespeare Way, then sent her an unsolicited sexual image of himself and asked for an image in return.

But fortunately the girl did not send one of herself, instead sending a stock image of a topless woman from the internet, and Norman was later arrested.

In his police interview he admitted everything.

Prosecuting, Robert Bryan said: “He accepted knowing what he did was wrong.”

Norman later admitted two charges of causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.

At his sentencing hearing at Northampton Crown Court today (Tuesday), his legal representative Liam Muir argued the case for a suspended sentence with rehabilitation to “nip it in the bud now”

His Honour Judge Mayo decided the “serious” offences merited a sentence of immediate custody.

Norman was jailed for three years and will serve half in custody with the remainder on licence.

He will be on the register for sex offenders indefinitely and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order restricting contact with young girls.