A convicted sex offender used a social media platform to send indecent images of himself to girl aged 14.

Jordan Saunders, 25, started sending messages to a 14-year-old girl on Instagram in February.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the conversion between Saunders and the girl – who was unknown to him – started very generally.

Four days after initiating conversation, Saunders sent two indecent images to the girl, accompanied by inappropriate messages.

Prosecuting, Keely Harvey said how the pictures were set to disappear after being opened.

But Saunders, previously convicted in 2017 of three counts of sexual activity with a child, did not expect the recipient to be the victim’s parents, who were checking the parental controls on her phone when the pictures were sent.

Ms Harvey said: “The victim’s parents are very vigilant about internet safety, and checking their daughter’s phone revealed the photos and inappropriate messages.

“They did some investigating, found the defendant’s name, and reported him to the police.

“The victim told her parents he had asked her for an inappropriate picture of herself, which she did not send.

“She felt his messages were weird and inappropriate, and often did not respond to him.

“The defendant initially denied knowing the victim when he was interviewed by police.”

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The victim, now 15, thought Saunders was a friend from a club she had attended, until he revealed his age to her.

In an impact statement read out in court, she said his “creepy messages” and interaction made her feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.

She said: “I felt disgusting and didn’t want anyone else to do this to me.

“I cut all my hair off so no grown-up men would want to do what he did.”

Saunders, of Bramble Close, Eastleigh, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to comply with the requirements of a sex offenders register, and pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Mitigating, Eve Shelley said Saunders is seeking counselling in light of this incident.

She said: “He is looking for mental health support and further imprisonment will impact his mental health.”

Judge Nicholas Rowland deemed Saunders to be “dangerous” and posed a risk of harm to girls.

He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

As well as his prison sentence, Saunders will be on the sex offenders register for life and subject to a new sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.