A MAN has been jailed after he admitted grooming a 15-year-old girl over the internet.

Glen Pimborough, of Chinnor Close, Leigh, pretended to be a 17-year-old boy in order to groom the underage girl, from the West Midlands.

The 52-year-old was given a 32 month sentence at Liverpool Crown Court on January 9 after pleading guilty to seven counts, including two of causing and inciting a female child aged under 16 to engage in sexual activity and three of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child at an earlier hearing.

Pimborough struck up an online relationship with the victim, who cannot be named for legal reason, which lasted for more than 5 months.

He sent video's of himself masturbating to the child, only showing his lower torso and claiming this was because he had acne and didn't want to show his face.

Det Con Jennifer Reeve said: "This horrific crime goes to show that you never really know who you are talking to online.

"This child fully believed that she was having an age appropriate relationship with a teenage boy for 5 months."

"Online safety is very important and I would urge children, parents and carers to make themselves aware of the website itsnotokay.co.uk for advice/guidance and information about child sexual exploitation."

Pimborough will be subject of a sexual offences prevention order for 10 years and will be on the sex offenders register for life.