Schoolgirl suffered six year grooming ordeal at the hands of paedo who targeted her online
A schoolgirl suffered a six-year grooming ordeal at the hands of a paedophile who targeted her online.
Michael Brooks sent the youngster hundreds of pounds and used emotional blackmail to make her stay in contact with him and have sexual "role play".
Newcastle Crown Court heard when the child repeatedly tried to cut him off but Brooks would threaten to speak to her mum, turn up at her house or declare he would rather be dead than live without her.
He was arrested after the victim found the courage to tell her mum "I've been groomed since I was 13."Brooks, 33, of Hackwood Glade, Hexham, Northumberland, admitted sexual communication with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity by encouraging her to perform solo acts.
He also admitted possessing 333 child abuse images and 582 prohibited images, which were found on his phone after he was arrested.
Judge Robert Spragg jailed him for two years and four months and said he must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.
The court heard Brooks befriended the child over the internet while he was using an Anime image on his profile, which she had an interest in.
Prosecutor Jane Waugh said: "They would role play having sex, in graphic detail, online."Miss Waugh said Brooks set up a PayPal account and sent the girl money so she could buy a Sims game.
The PayPal transaction meant Brooks was able to see the victim's email and home address then tracked down her Facebook account.
Miss Waugh said: "She had previously told him she was 16. He asked her about her age and she admitted she was 13. He told her it was fine, he still loved her."
The court heard the victim offered to pay back the £40 she had been sent for the game and thought she would be able to break off contact with Brooks.
But Brooks continued contacting the child, sent more payments and encouraged her to role play "pretty much every day".
Miss Waugh said: "He would pay anywhere between £10 to £100 per week, some weeks £200 per week.
"He sent her £600 for her to buy herself an iPad."The court heard Brooks convinced the teen to send him nude pictures, which she did but always kept her face covered.
Miss Waugh added: "She told him on numerous occasions she didn't want to talk to him anymore and didn't want any more to do with him.
"The defendant would then threaten to attend her house and talk to her mum about it. She would get scared if she heard a knock at the door.”
When the victim tried again to end contact with Brooks, who would send her graphic pictures and videos of himself, he turned to emotional blackmail.
Miss Waugh said: "He would spam her with messages, telling her one minute he loved her and the next minute acting really angry then apologising."She would relent and continue."
Miss Waugh added: "He made her feel guilty and said she didn't care about him and she would end up having to placate him and say she did care.
"She told police she was almost scared of him and wanted to keep him happy, essentially as he knew where she lived."
After the girl turned 16 Brooks started to mention them meeting and sent her gifts and cuddly toys but no actual arrangement was ever made.
Miss Waugh added: "The defendant would sometimes send messages saying he didn't want to live without her and would rather be dead."Brooks was arrested after the victim eventually found the courage to tell her family what had been happening.
The victim said in an impact statement the ordeal "changed my life completely" and she added: "I just wish I had never gone on my computer that day."Mark Harrison, defending, said Brooks initially thought the victim was 16 and added: "It was the defendant's belief they were in a relationship with one another."
Mr Harrison said Brooks feels "regret and remorse", has mental and physical ailments, was isolated, used the internet as an escape and made no real arrangements to meet the girl.