AN OXFORDSHIRE man who pretended to be an 18-year-old in order to contact and sexually exploit young girls online has been jailed for 12 years.

When police raided the home of Andrew Sambrooks, of Youens Drive, Thame, he was found to have a number of indecent images of children having been caught contacting young girls on Facebook.

The 38-year old was jailed for more than 10 years at Aylesbury Crown Court on Monday and will be made subject to an extended period on licence for two years after release.

He must also be made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for life and must sign the sex offenders register for life.

Police said that Sambrooks was first arrested on July 2 2015 after police discovered he was in contact with underage girls online.

After his arrest and his address was searched police seized a number of electronic devices from him which on analysis were found to contain numerous indecent images of children.

The seized devices had various images of children an indecent nature ranging from category A - the most severe, to the lowest category of C.

Investigating officer, detective Constable Becky Tyler of Force CID at Thames Valley Police, said that there was also evidence that Sambrooks had contacted girls aged between 12 and 15 on the devices.

She added: “Sambrooks had contacted these girls via Facebook during 2015 by using an alias account that he had created with the pretence of being an 18-year-old man.”

Sambrooks admitted a string of offences ahead of sentencing including three counts of making indecent images of children and three of distributing indecent images.

He also admitted further offences involving the attempt or the incitement of children to engage in sexual activity or be sexually exploited.