A PERVERT blackmailed a 10-year-old girl into performing sex acts on herself and recorded the abuse on his phone.

Matthew Brown, 30, from Monmouth later claimed to the police and his probation officer he was a paedophile hunter to distance himself from his crimes.

The defendant also unsuccessfully tried to extort the schoolgirl into involving her younger sister and the family dog into committing further sexual acts for his pleasure.

He told his frightened victim that he would post sexual images of her online if she didn’t comply with his demands.

The defendant got in touch with the girl via TikTok and Instagram.

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Matthew Cobbe, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court Brown was caught after police raided his home last August after receiving a tip-off he had illegal images.

As well as finding child abuse and bestiality films and pictures, they discovered the recordings he made of the girl earlier that summer.

Mr Cobbe revealed that the girl’s mother said in a victim impact statement that she was “shocked and horrified” by what her daughter had been through.

Brown, of Garthi Close, Mitchel Troy admitted causing a child to engage in sexual activity, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child, possession of category A, B and C indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornography.

Daniel Jones representing the defendant asked the court to take into account his early guilty pleas and previous clean character.

His barrister added: “It breaks his heart he did what he did.

“The defendant does have plans for the future and intends to take a business and accounting course in prison.

“He is hoping of turning his hobby of jewellery and antiques into a business.”

The judge, Recorder Paul Lewis KC, told Brown: “You said in your probation report that you did not believe that she was a real child – you must have known that she was.

“You received images from her that revealed that she was.

“I bear in mind the threats that you made to coerce her into complying with your demands and the fact that you recorded the events on your phone.

“You also denied to the probation officer that you experienced any sexual gratification from your actions.

“Again, I am wholly satisfied that was a lie.”

Brown was jailed for six years and must register as a sex offender for life.

He was made the subject of an indefinite restraining order and sexual harm prevention order.