A smooth talker groomed a young a Ashford schoolgirl...then tried using his charms on her mother to avoid jail.

But it failed and then police discovered he had also been using Snapchat to try to entice four other children into taking part in online sexual activity.

Now 33-year-old John Collins is behind bars after admitting eight sex offences involving victims aged between 14 and 15.

The contemptuous predator later claimed that "age is just a number".

But a judge jailed him for seven years after telling him: “You groomed one of your victims who was particularly vulnerable.

"Young children are tech-savvy these days but they are also vulnerable to approaches from paedophiles like you.”

He was reported to police by a number of schoolgirls who had been contacted requesting they send him naked photos and forwarding them videos of himself performing a sex act on himself.

Collins, from North London had called himself "Jonny Anaconda" when asked one of the children to meet him in a London hotel.

Prosecutor Vivian Walters revealed the 14-year-old girl, who told her parents she was with friends in Thanet, but met the pervert in London.

She had also met him in a car park in Ashford on a number of occasions when sex acts took place.

After police were involved, Collins sent a text to his victim’s mother saying: “ I really loved and respect her more than you could ever imagine.

“I know you don’t want to hear that but I wish that I was there to protect her through this sh*t.

“But what happened between (her and me) was completely mutual and we knew it was against the law so that’s why there’s nothing but lies.”

Ms Walters added that before police could charge him he fled the country but was arrested later on his return.

The court heard how he had also targeted other schoolgirls sending them photographs of his private parts – sometimes up to 30 times.

Collins broke down in the dock as he heard how one of his victims had attempted suicide because of the stress of the court case.

Judge James O’Mahony said: “You contacted the mother of one of your victims, using your undoubted charms to try to improve your position, in regard what you had done to her daughter.

“But all you care about was you, number one...and your sexual gratification.

"You said age was just a number and to you that may well be. But you don’t care who gets damaged along the way.”

The judge warned him that under the law if he was ever to repeat his sex assaults in the future he faces a life sentence.

“If that’s not a deterrent then I don’t know what is," he added.

Speaking after sentencing, an NSPCC spokesman said: “Like so many other sexual predators, Collins used the internet as a gateway to groom his vulnerable victims for his own sexual gratification.

"Age is not ‘just a number’. And these offences will have damaging effects on his underage victims.

“Thankfully, his brazen attempts to avoid justice failed and, thanks to the courage of the young people he targeted, he has now been brought to justice.

“Collins may be behind bars but it is important that he receives treatment and undergoes rehabilitation as part of his sentence so he doesn’t pose a risk to young people upon his release.”