A convicted paedophile has been locked up after sending explicit videos of himself on Snapchat to a 13-year-old girl - who was, in fact, an undercover cop.

Terry Coleman was branded a “dangerous pervert” by a judge after hearing how he targeted and groomed the teenager online just a few weeks after being spared jail for flouting a court order designed to protect youngsters from him.

The 60-year-old, of McKenzie Close, Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, was told he posed a greater danger by continuing to deny having a sexual interest in children.

And the suggestion by his defence that he committed the offences because he had “hit rock bottom” and wanted to be arrested was quickly dismissed as “outlandish.”

Coleman was first made subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) in April 2021 when he was convicted of multiple offences of making and distributing child abuse images.

Then, in June last year, he was hauled back to court having breached that SHPO on three occasions.

But, having again been spared jail and handed a community order, the depraved recovery vehicle driver was soon engaging in illicit chats, despite the fact the court order had ensured monitoring software was installed on his devices.

At Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday (April 2) - when one of three women supporting Coleman asked whether KentOnline could be paid not to report the sentencing hearing - details of his online grooming behaviour were revealed.

Prosecutor Alban Brahimi said the sex offender knew from the outset that the girl he was talking to on Snapchat was 13.

But what he did not know was that the teenager was actually an undercover police officer.

Over the course of two weeks from July 17 last year and with the username Tel2903 - the day and month of Coleman’s date of birth - he engaged in conversations and picture-sending that soon became more sinister.

The first photo he sent was of his legs as he lay in bed, to which he remarked he “might have a play”, said Mr Brahimi.

Coleman then confirmed, when asked, that he meant masturbation.

The court was told he also encouraged the girl to touch herself, asked whether she was “smooth”, and then told her he was performing a sex act on himself.

The deviant chats continued with Coleman sending a topless photo of himself. The paedophile then told her he was masturbating and asked her to do the same.

Describing how Coleman’s behaviour escalated, Mr Brahimi told the court: “This developed into him sending over a live video with the tip of his penis slightly exposed.

“On another date he told her he was masturbating, she said she would start ‘rubbing’, and he sent several images of his erect penis in his hand and two videos of him masturbating.”

Coleman also made sexually explicit comments towards the youngster and solicited the sending of indecent photos by her.

Mr Brahimi said the defendant was later identified as the man in the videos as they showed his face.

Coleman was arrested on August 1, when it was also discovered he had a second username of Terry9981 and a smart TV, neither of which he had declared to the authorities as required by the SHPO and his sex offender notification requirements.

He was also in possession of 14g of cannabis.

The following day at a hearing before Sevenoaks’ magistrates, Coleman pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and causing a child to look at a sexual image.

He also admitted two SHPO breaches, two offences of failing to comply with sex offender requirements, and possessing a class B drug.

With the case having been committed to the crown court for sentence, an in-depth probation report was ordered in which it was noted Coleman’s view of his offending was that he was “somewhat tactical” and had “played” police.

However, in disputing such an assertion by the pervert, Mr Brahimi told the court: “Realistically he might be aware that decoys do pose as children but this was a case of meeting his sexual needs and why he engaged in such behaviour.”

Stacey-Lee Holland, defending, said Coleman was jobless, homeless and without a vehicle around the time of his offences.

But her explanation that he had “wished to be arrested because he had essentially hit rock bottom, was sofa-surfing, and wanted somewhere to stay long-term” was immediately rejected by the judge, Recorder John Gallager.

“If you are saying on his behalf that he committed any of these offences - the possession of cannabis apart - other than for sexual gratification, I don’t accept that,” he said.

“It is so outlandish as to be unbelievable.”

Ms Holland also told the court that Coleman did not accept having a sexual interest in children or the pre-sentence report (PSR) author’s view that he had “blurred” sexual boundaries simply because he prefers relationships with younger women.

However, acknowledging that he would be sentenced on the basis he was seeking sexual gratification through Snapchat, she added: “He understands those offences are ordinarily committed as a result of a sexual interest in children and he does understand that this is something that he needs to explore as this is now his third set of offences of this nature.”

The court also heard that Coleman’s “views of the world” had been impacted by several failed long-term relationships and the tragic death of his son in 2017.

But Ms Holland added he had been “working to better himself” since his remand in custody.

Appearing via video link with Elmley Prison, Coleman was told by Recorder Gallagher that previous chances given to him by the courts had failed.

Jailing him for six years, the judge said: “You are, in my judgment, a dangerous sexual pervert. You have an uncontrolled and uncontrollable sexual interest in young girls.

“You are all the more dangerous because you are in denial about it....You quite clearly pose a risk to young girls and that risk shows no sign of abating whatsoever.”

Remarking Coleman was “at it again” within three to four weeks of his previous sentence, Recorder Gallagher continued: “I have no doubt you thought throughout that you were communicating with a young 13-year-old girl and the sole purpose of those communications, which were consistent and increasing in their seriousness, was for sexual gratification.”

On release from prison, Coleman will be subject to indefinite sex offender notification requirements.