Child sex offender jailed after police sting

Anthony Dugard travelled more than 180 miles (290km) with intention of abusing a child

A man has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of nine child sexual abuse offences.

60-year-old Anthony Dugard from Grimsby, Lincolnshire travelled to Swindon in July to meet who he thought was a child with the intention of abusing them.

He was instead met by officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) as part of an operation to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Following his arrest and examination of his mobile phone, police discovered Dugard had previously committed further offences against a child who was 15 at the time.

Dugard was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to a further five child sexual abuse offences.

'I couldn’t protect her'

Dugard was proved to have coerced and exploited the girl over a period of several months.

Her mother told the court he had made her feel as though she had "let her daughter down massively."

In a personal impact statement she said she was "so sorry" that she could not "protect" her daughter and praised her for speaking out.

“[She] has made me very proud by speaking out and in knowing that she will have helped many others in doing so", her statement read.

Det Insp David Wells from SWROCU said: “Dugard has caused substantial suffering to the victim and her family and I thank her for speaking up about his predatory behaviour."

Dugard has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.