Paedophile rugby coach caught by police sting online

A rugby coach with "a self-confessed interest in young girls" has been jailed after he was caught by a police sting operation.

Jacob Cook, 30, from Woodhall Spa, unwittingly spent four months chatting online with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old school girl.

During the chats, Cook offered to talk the girl through sexual acts and to "take her virginity".

He was jailed for three years by Lincoln Crown Court.

Cook, a university graduate, believed he was chatting to a "bored" 13-year old called "Tiny Dancer" on the Kik app.

Mark Watson, prosecuting, said Cook made sexually explicit suggestions to the girl after asking about her experiences of sex.

The defendant told the girl he was a rugby coach, and referred to himself as a teacher in a bid to "gain a degree of trust from her", he added.

"It is perfectly plain that he believed he was talking to a schoolgirl," Mr Watson said.

During a subsequent investigation, detectives discovered Cook had applied for clearance to work coaching children and his case became a priority.

After his arrest, Lincolnshire Police found over 200 images of child sex abuse, as well as photographs featuring bestiality on his mobile phone.

Cook, of King Edward Road, Woodhall Spa, admitted attempting to incite a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity between 1 December 2015 and 31 March 2016.

He also admitted three charges of making a total of 230 indecent images of children and a further charge of possession of extreme pornographic images.

In addition to his jail term, Cook was handed a seven-year sexual prevention order.