A 23-year-old Stowmarket man who sent two nine-year-old girls naked pictures of himself and asked them to send him similar images has been jailed for six years.

Sentencing Dylan Armstrong-Bell, Recorder Graham Huston described him as a danger to children and accused him of depriving the victims of part of their childhoods.

“You deliberately targeted these two girls and slowly, bit by bit, you groomed them into sending you images and caused them to view images of you.

“You knew what you were doing and you were developing a relationship with both of the girls which would have continued had the messages not been discovered,” said the judge.

Ipswich Crown Court heard on Tuesday ( August 23) that the offences came to light after the parents of one of the girls found “relentless” images from the defendant on their daughter’s phone calling her “sexy” and asking her to send him pictures.

They also found naked pictures of Armstrong-Bell and images of him performing sex acts, said Gavin Pottinger, prosecuting.

One of the pictures was of Armstrong-Bell in his work van and the police became involved after the girl’s father went to his workplace.

The court heard he’d also suggested that he and the girls should meet up to have sex.

Armstrong-Bell of Takers Lane, Stowmarket, admitted two offences of sexual communication with a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two offences of causing a child to watch a sexual act and two offences of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He was sentenced to a six year custodial sentence with an extended licence period for the protection of the public.

Recorder Hutson said Armstrong-Bell would have to serve at least two thirds of the sentence before the parole board could consider if it was safe to release him and if so on what terms.

The judge made Armstrong-Bell the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until further order and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register.

Natasha Nair for Armstrong- Bell said he was 21 at the time of the offences and was remorseful.