MICHAEL GREY

MAN GROPED GIRL AND DEMANDED SEX PICTURES

A "sordid" child sex offender who groped a girl and demanded she send him lurid pictures of herself has been jailed for three and a half years.

Michael Grey targeted and groomed an "especially vulnerable" girl before abusing her, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The victim said the "ordeal" had a massive impact on her life.

Grey, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, admitted making indecent images of a child and was also found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child.

Judge Tim Gittins said Grey knew the girl was "especially vulnerable" and had added to her trauma.

Grey had been "seeking" images of the girl, the judge said, and grew angry if his demands were not met.

But pictures did not "sate" his "unnatural sexual interest" in the child and he moved on to molesting her, with the judge sure Grey would have gone further with his abuse if the girl had not reported it.

Grey tried to "emotionally blackmail that young girl" to prevent his "sordid behaviour coming to light", but it was "to her enormous credit" she reported him, the judge said.

Gittins said her evidence at the trial was "compelling" while Grey "arrogantly sought in a disgraceful way to cast blame" on the victim.

He must also sign the sex offenders register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely.