A SEX offender posed as a 15-year-old on Snapchat to groom and abuse an underage girl.

       Vile Joshua Murrell, from Crewe, Cheshire, demanded images from his 13-year-old victim and promised her cash in exchange for sex.

       2

       Joshua Murrell pretended to be 15 as he groomed a girl, 13, on Snapchat 2

       The 19-year-old was jailed after a hearing at Chester Crown Court

       Murrell, who is actually 19, was already under a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after being convicted of sexual offences in March 2020 - prohibiting him from using the internet to contact children under the age of 16.

       But on May 8 this year, devious Murrell contacted a girl on Snapchat and carried on messaging her even when she revealed she was only 13, reports CheshireLive.

       Murrell lied to the victim and said he was 15 as he asked for images before calling her "sexy" and telling her he loved her.

       He also sent her an explicit photo of himself, Chester Crown Court heard.

       Rob Edwards, prosecuting, said Murrell told the young girl he would buy her "everything she wanted" to the value of ￡500 on the condition "she did everything he wanted".

       They met in a park in Nantwich and kissed on June 1, and on the following two days Murrell sexually abused the victim near a lake, the court heard.

       Most read in The Sun

       STEP TOO BAR 'Pubs and restaurants could be CLOSED or have entry limits to halt Omicron'

       'HOPE SHE'S OK' I feel terrible about Christine McGuinness being upset, says Joel Dommett

       DRINK IT IN Frankie Bridge sparks pregnancy rumours as she refuses champagne after IAC exit

       NO KIDDING Nan blasted for not buying son's stepchild matching Christmas pyjamas

       After she revealed to a support worker what had happened, the police arrested Murrell. But he denied he knew the girl, and was released under investigation.

       But on August 29, Murrell anonymously contacted the victim on Snapchat before, the court heard, messages were shared on Whatsapp - including one of the defendant telling the girl he wanted to marry her when she turned 16.

       The sicko also asked her not to reveal to anyone he had messaged her.

       Two days later on August 31, they met in Crewe before Murrell was re-arrested the following month.

       Mr Edwards told the court the "sad and angry" victim had suffered "panic attacks" because of the ordeal.

       Sarah Badrawy, defending, said Murrell, who has been diagnosed with autism, "struggles to understands why he offends this way".

       "He wants to address the issues and risk he poses. He does not shy away from that," she told the court.

       Judge Simon Berkson said Murrell's actions have had "a significant effect" on his victim as he sentenced him to five and a half years in a youth detention centre, half of which will be served on licence.

       "You groomed your victim who was then aged 13. You were purporting to be 15," he told Murrell.

       "The grooming became sexual. You denied committing the offences and persisted with the lies until your first appearance at crown court."

       Murrell was also given a 12-year SHPO and a restraining order for the same length of time.