Pervert posed as girl

Anthony Kirkbright (50) a convicted paedophile, was caught after police checking on him found a lot of blank advertising cards in his room at Highfield House, a probation hostel in Accrington.

They went to the local branch of the supermarket and found an ad which read: "WANTED CLOGS. THEM WITH NO BACKS IN. KIM" and had his phone number on it, Burnley magistrates were told.

Kirkbright, who is from Nelson and has also lived in Burnley, had only been released from prison in February and had been reminded by police of the register requirements just days before.

He had been locked up for 17 months in November 2015 for molesting a woman with learning difficulties and groping a second victim in the street. Kirkbright had been placed on the register for 10 years.

In 2001, he was convicted of sexual intercourse with a girl under 16. Five years later, the defendant was banned from every camping site and caravan park in the country, after, a court was then told, he had tried to lure a 10-year-old girl to a site in Lancaster, offering her sweets and threatening her with violence.

It was the second Sexual Offences Prevention Order he had been given.

At the latest hearing, Kirkbright, who has almost 30 offences on his record, admitted failing to comply with the requirements of the register.

Mrs Alex Mann (prosecuting) said the defendant was released on February 15th and had already breached the register by March 3rd, by using a fake Facebook profile. He was then jailed for four weeks.

She said he was freed on March 16th and police found the blank advertising cards when they went to carry out a check on March 22nd.

Kirkbright, who is said to have mental health issues, has been described as "rather pathetic" by his solicitor in the past.

The defendant received six weeks in prison, suspended for a year and must pay a £115 victim surcharge.

The bench chairman told him: "It's already been said this is quite a challenging and difficult sentence for us to consider. Your significant record has been taken into account."