A SEX offender who moved in with a woman and her daughter breaching the terms of a prohibition order has been jailed for three years.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how Simon McDonald, aged 36, took advantage of the woman's vulnerability and did not tell her about his past.

After his breaches came to light and he was arrested the woman said that with hindsight she realised he had been paying her school-aged daughter 'too much attention and displaying interest of an inappropriate sexual nature'.

"This man is very manipulative and manoeuvred himself into a position where he lived with this vulnerable woman and her teenage daughter," said Paul Treble, prosecuting.

McDonald, of Carlyle Grove, Leigh, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements for the Sexual Offences Register and four offences of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

The order forbade him from having unsupervised contact with under 16-year-olds, having access to photographic equipment, having a computer with internet access and residing within 250 metres of a school or nursery.

When police went to the premises they found he had breached all of the conditions.

Katie Appleton, defending, said that McDonald loved the woman and wanted to continue the relationship but Mr Treble said that that was not reciprocated.

The court heard today, Friday, that he has convictions for sex with an under-age girl ten years ago, possessing indecent photographs and breaching a SOPO.

Miss Appleton said that McDonald, who suffers from epilepsy and a severe speech impediment, was also vulnerable and has limited coping abilities.

"These offences were brought about by loneliness rather than any intention to commit further sexual offences," she said.

Jailing him and making a further indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order, the judge, Recorder Richard Pratt, QC, said, "This is the second time you have come to court for breaching a SOPO. This is a flagrant breach.

"Having regard to your history you wished to exploit her vulnerability and did it exploitatively to get closer to her daughter."