A predatory paedophile groomed a young girl by giving her expensive gifts and treats before sexually assaulting her, a court heard.

Jeremy Brown, 58, also sent the girl, who was aged about 10 at the time, intimate messages to her phone and made it plain he would be in a lot of trouble if she was to report him, Norwich Crown Court was told on Wednesday.

The girl later came forward when she was 16 to make a complaint to police when she began to question the behaviour of Brown, who she did not know was already a registered sex offender.

Brown, of Anchor Street, Norwich, admitted sexual assault on a girl under 13 .

The court heard he was jailed for four years in 1999 for sex offences against children, when he acted as a baby sitter, and was also convicted of downloading indecent photos of children in 2016.

Sentencing him, Judge Andrew Shaw said that he agreed with a report which said Brown posed a high risk of harm to children and imposed an extended sentence of six years and three months.

Under the sentence, Brown will serve 15 months custody and then be on extended licence for five years.

Judge Shaw described Brown as a predatory paedophile and manipulative and said: "In my judgement there was a significant degree of planning. You used grooming behaviour against your victim."

He said he had bought the vulnerable victim expensive gifts and given her treats and money, including buying her sweets.

He added: "You have an established pattern of sexual offending towards children."

Judge Shaw said the report showed that Brown had no inner control over his actions, although he accepted he tried to control himself by not having a phone or computer.

He said that it would be for the parole board to decide when he was safe to be released.

He also placed Brown on the sex offenders register for life and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life under which his use of the internet is monitored.

Judge Shaw said his main concern in this case had to be the protection of the public.

Jonathan Goodman, who appeared for Brown, and said he deserved credit for his guilty plea.