A 'dangerous' man who sent indecent images of children to a 17-year-old girl in care while under a sexual risk order has been jailed for three years.

Judge Andrew Shaw told Daniel Hirst he would have imprisoned him for longer if he could, but it was 'not legally possible' to do so.

Concerns over Hirst grooming a child led the police public protection unit to seek a sexual risk order at Norwich Magistrates Court in July last year.

But by November 25, Merseyside police received information that a 17-year-old girl, in the local care system, had been sent two images over Kik messenger of a young child being sexually abused.

She had been speaking with 'Dan Hope', who was playing out a 'deeply unpleasant fantasy', Norwich Crown Court heard. The profile was traced to Hirst, 40, of Rockingham Road, Norwich.

He admitted possessing 264 indecent images, of which more than half were the most explicit, as well as distributing indecent images, possessing extreme pornography, and breaching a sexual risk order.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Hirst 'latched onto' the conversation with the Merseyside girl. 'He started talking about paedophilia and sex with children, and in so doing sent an image,' he said.

Two explicit images sent to the girl were of a child, believed to be three.

'Merseyside Police managed to trace the person who had been sending these abusive images and conversations and it turned out to be Mr Hirst,' added Mr Youell.

Police were given entry to Hirst's address by his partner and found the images on a tablet and mobile phone.

Andrew Oliver, for Hirst, said: 'It is obvious Mr Hirst has struggled to come to terms with the reasons why he has committed these offences. He does accept there is an element of fantasy to his behaviour. It is a situation where he has seemingly allowed his fantasy to become distorted and commit very serious offences.'

Hirst, who has had no convictions for 16 years, was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Jailing Hirst, Judge Shaw said: 'This is far from a victimless crime. Every video or image created of a child being sexually abused necessarily involves, somewhere in the world, a child being sexually abused and caused harm.

'You are someone who causes me the utmost concern. In my judgement you are dangerous.

'It is not legally possible for me today to impose an extended sentence order. Had I been able to, I would have done.'