A man who tried to meet children through the internet has been jailed for more than four years.

Robert Reddin was arrested at his home in St Mary's Bay, Romney Marsh in 2018 during an investigation into indecent images of children.

Inquiries by Kent Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team also uncovered sexual messages he had sent to people he believed to be children.

Reddin, 70, was charged with and later admitted multiple offences, including attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and making indecent photos of children.

Yesterday, at Canterbury Crown Court, he was jailed for four-and-a-half years and made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will limit his access to the internet on release.

Police who carried out a search warrant at Reddin's home on June 11 2018, found indecent images of children on his laptop computer.

Further investigation found a series of chats Reddin had with people who identified themselves as children as young as 11, and adults who he hoped would help him to meet children.

"He is clearly a danger to children, preying on the vulnerable online, where the risk to such children is significant..."

The content of the conversations was sexual and Reddin had encouraged them to engage in sexual acts, send him pictures and to meet him.

Det Sgt Shona Ross, Kent Police's investigating officer, said: "I am pleased that this offender has been brought to justice and sentenced appropriately.

"He is clearly a danger to children, preying on the vulnerable online, where the risk to such children is significant.

"Offenders must understand that the internet is not some sort of other world where harm is different or lessened.

"It involves real children suffering real abuse, often with nowhere to turn for help.

"Kent Police will continue to work with partner agencies to track down and investigate all of those who seek to cause suffering to some of the most vulnerable in society."

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Romney Marsh