A paedophile who travelled nearly 140 miles to Medway believing he would be having sex with a young girl had offended in a similar way before, a court heard.

He was not prosecuted over the previous incident after he turned to a child protection charity for help.

But within two years the married 57-year-old printer was back to his old ways scouring the internet to prey on innocent children.

Bickmore made contact with a mother who was apparently willing to arrange for him to abuse her nine-year-old daughter.

He eventually set out from his home in Leicester and arrived in Chatham – only to find he had been duped by an undercover police officer.

Now, he has been locked up under an extended sentence for public protection after a judge found he posed a danger.

He was jailed for four years and eight months and will be on licence for a further four years. He will have to serve at least two thirds of the sentence before being considered for release.

A sexual harm prevention order was made and his name will appear indefinitely on the sex offenders’ register. He will be barred from working with children.

Bickmore, of Sandhurst Road, Leicester, admitted two offences of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and three of possessing indecent photos of children.

Prosecutor Christina Rowberry said Bickmore made contact with another undercover officer in 2014 posing as the father of two young girls, using explicit language when stating the abuse he planned.

His home was raided and indecent images of children were found on computer equipment.

Police provided him with details of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which aims to prevent child sex abuse, and he attended courses.

But in February this year Kent Police discovered he had not mended his ways. He made contact with an undercover officer posing as a mother of the young girl.

Miss Rowberry said Bickmore booked into a hotel in Medway and then met the officer in a coffee shop – where he was arrested.

When searched, he was found to have a bottle of “tingling pleasure gel” and a list of local Ann Summers shops.

Indecent images, including 135 film clips in the highest category were found on his computer.