A MAN who posed as an 18-year-old online in order to contact young girls has been jailed for 12 years.

Andrew Sambrooks, 38, was found with a number of indecent images of children and had been contacting young girls on Facebook.

Investigating officer, detective Constable Becky Tyler of Force CID, said: "Andrew Sambrooks was arrested on July 2, 2015, after Thames Valley Police received information that he had been in contact with underage females online.

"Upon arrest, a number of electronic devices were seized at Sambrooks’ property. These devices were found to contain indecent images of children from categories A, B and C.

"There was also evidence that Sambrooks had contacted girls aged between 12 and 15.

"Sambrooks had contacted these girls via Facebook during 2015 by using an alias account that he had created with the pretense of being an 18-year-old man."

Sambrooks pleaded guilty to a string of sex offences and was sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court on Monday.

Sambrooks, who was charged with the offences on July 26, 2018, was jailed for 12 years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm prevention order for life and placed on an extended licence for two years.

The offences were:

  • Three counts of making indecent photograph/pseudo photograph of a child - categories A, B & C.
  • Three counts of distributing an indecent photograph/pseudo photograph of a child - categories A, B & C.
  • Three counts of attempting to cause/incite the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13-17.
  • Two counts of cause/incite the sexual exploitation of a child aged 13-17.
  • Two counts of attempting to cause/incite a girl 13-15 to engage in sexual activity - penetration.
  • One count of cause/incite the sexual exploitation of a child under 13.
  • One count of cause/incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity - penetration.
  • One count of cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity - no penetration.
  • One count of attempting to incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in non-penetrative activity.