A would-be child rapist who planned treating his victims to McDonald's mid-way through his attacks, has been locked up.

Armed with sweets and a fluffy toy in a Sainsbury’s car park in Ashford, Martin Freeman was primed to rape two girls, aged three and seven.

But instead officers stormed the predator's car.

The 51-year-old had months before joined social media website Kik, stalking Naturist Party UK’s hashtag group, eventually honing in on father-of-two “Tom”.

Both men went on to reveal themselves in a private chat as paedophiles, then schemed to traffic Tom’s daughters to Ashford International Hotel, off Simone Weil Avenue.

Prosecutor Kathy Hirst explained: “They had a conversation where they were going to have a break from abusing the girls and go to McDonald's.”

Tom claimed the girls came from a broken home, leaving them vulnerable to depravity and being farmed out for sex.

He suggested Freeman bought them sweets and a fluffy toy, before meeting in Sainsbury’s car park in Ashford’s Warren Retail Park.

But Tom was an undercover police officer with a Kik moniker, monitoring the naturism group’s activities.

When Freeman was arrested in August this year he was carrying the fluffy toy and sweets, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

He made full admissions at Folkestone Police Station claiming it was the first time he intended to physically harm children.

Freeman conceded he was attracted to children and was willing to receive help, in what was described in court, as a “candid” interview.

Judge James O'Mahony deemed outspoken Freeman "dangerous" before jailing him for four years and six months with a two-year extended licence.

“You bought toys and sweets for the children concerned and you were extremely enthusiastic about what you were going to do,” he said.

“The effect on the children concerned would have been absolutely devastating.”

Michael Chambers, defending, said the ploy sent shockwaves through Freeman’s friends and family, who described him as "a role model".

“Character references from his former partner, daughter, and employer describe him as a role model and this behaviour is something that is completely out of character and unknown to them,” he said.

He added Freeman’s scheming had left a "devastating shock" on his family, who appeared in the public gallery.

Freeman, of Oakenpole in Ashford, was convicted of arranging the commission of a child sex offence.

He was handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register with immediate effect.

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