A man who preyed on a 10-year-old girl has been jailed.

Paul Wright, 46, was convicted of sexual assault of a girl under 13 during a three-day trial at Southampton Crown Court.

In August, the court heard how the offences took place in 2020 in the Winchester area.

The jury heard how Wright had been sending inappropriate messages to the victim, who was 10 years old at the time.

These messages very quickly became sexual.

He had also previously requested explicit images of the child.

The jury were also told he had set up a separate social media account under a different name to speak to the victim in private to stop other people interfering.

Wright of Tyndalls, Hindhead in Surrey pleaded not guilty to the offences.

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But during the trial in August, a jury reached a guilty verdict against the count of sexual assault of a girl under 13 by touching and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Wright was sentenced on Tuesday, October 8 at Southampton Crown Court to two years and four months in prison.

The judge also granted a 20 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order against him in addition to requiring Wright to sign on to the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of 20 years.

PC Kallum Sillence of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT) said: “The disclosures made by Paul Wright about the allegations were damning in this case.

“It is clear that Mr Wright posed a significant risk to young children through the course of his actions.

“The sentencing is a result of outstanding bravery by the victim in disclosing the interactions in the first instance.

"While this sentence in no way will negate what has happened to her, the hope is that she can now begin to put this ordeal behind her, and move forward, knowing that justice has now been served.”

Anyone who has any concerns about child abuse should contact police om 101, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Anyone who has experienced abuse in childhood, or is concerned about a child, can contact the NSPCC helpline, confidentially, on 0808 800 5000.

Alternatively, you can email help@nspcc.org.uk. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111.