A man with convictions for sexual offences tried to become a "hands-on sex educator" to a teenage schoolgirl, a court has heard.

Lee Greenwood, 44, was involved in sexual communication online with someone he understood to be a 13-year-old girl.

But in fact it was an adult decoy operating as part of an online safety group.

Norwich Crown Court heard Greenwood initially communicated with the girl via Facebook before moving to chats on WhatsApp.

Jude Durr, prosecuting, said the conversations followed a "depressingly familiar process" of "softening up" the decoy, stating how attractive she was before moving on to more sexualised conversation.

Mr Durr said Greenwood talked to her as if he were a "hands-on sex educator" and spoke of having sex in the future.

Police were notified and went to his address at Priory Road, Bacton, where a number of devices, including his mobile phone were seized.

Greenwood, who has previous convictions for sexual offences, including sexual assault of a female, appeared for sentencing on Friday.

He had previously admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between January 22, 2022, and February 17, 2022.

Oliver Haswell, mitigating for Greenwood - who is looking to work on a fishing boat but suffers from an undiagnosed heart condition - had admitted offences which were of a historic nature.

Judge Andrew Shaw imposed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Greenwood was also made the subject of a seven year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

In addition, the defendant was also put on the sex offenders register for seven years.