A PAEDOPHILE who said he wanted to abduct and abuse a nine-year-old girl breached a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) just two weeks after leaving prison.

Christopher Greco, formerly of Bonington Close in Christchurch and now of HMP Winchester, used an alias to create a Facebook account in January this year. He attempted to 'friend' eight girls, some of whom were wearing their school uniforms in their profile pictures.

Greco and his family then made a complaint to police, alleging the account had been started maliciously to "set him up".

The 33-year-old was jailed for three years and three months in 2015 after admitting possessing indecent images of children, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two breaches of his sexual offenders prevention order (SOPO) and outraging public decency. The breaches relate to an order made in 2007 for another sexual offence.

As part of proceedings in 2015, Greco was also sentenced to an indefinite SHPO - an updated version of the SOPO.

On January 15 this year, the defendant was released from prison on licence. By January 30, he had established the social media account under the name Anthony Greco.

He then attempted to add a woman he had known from school to the account. She alerted police.

On Friday, Greco returned to Bournemouth Crown Court for sentence after admitting breaching the SHPO and failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register.

Ellie Fargin, prosecuting, said: "Police investigated the Facebook account and saw the person who created it made friends with no less than eight separate females, who looked like they were young girls.

"Around the same time, the defendant and family members contacted the police to complain that somebody had maliciously set up the account in order to set [Greco] up."

During police interview, Greco eventually admitted he had set up the account. He also said he didn't realise the girls appeared to be below the age of 16.

"A couple were in school uniforms [in their pictures]," Ms Fargin said.

"He said he had a fetish for school uniform."

In a pre-sentence report, Probation Service officials concluded that Greco's risk of reoffending is "very high" and he is "sexually preoccupied".

Leah Dillon, mitigating for the defendant, said the offences were "not particularly sophisticated".

"It was a stupid and foolish thing to do," she said.

"In stark contrast to what is said in the pre-sentence report, he is extremely remorseful and contrite."

Greco is "motivated to change" and keeps an extensive log book featuring sections titled 'becoming new me' and 'no more old me', it was heard.

He wore a crucifix around his neck in the dock. Ms Dillon said: "His religion gives him great solace."

Sentencing Greco to two years in prison, Judge Donald Tait said assessments of the defendant's behaviour are "disturbing".

"Until you decide to change, you will be going to prison again and again and again," he said.

"A custodial sentence is inevitable for the breach, to punish you, to underline the seriousness and, in particular, to protect innocent members of the public from your predatory behaviour."