A PERVERT called “every parent’s worst nightmare” has been jailed after a string of online sexual offences against children.

Nicholas Bennett, of Herbert Road, Swanley, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison at Maidstone Crown Court today (May 24).

The 31-year-old had pleaded guilty to five counts of inciting pornography, four counts of making indecent images of children and one count of inciting sexual activity with a child.

The court heard Bennett had targeted girls aged 11 to 16.

He was caught after one of his victims, a 15-year-old girl he had tricked into exposing herself to him via webcam, reported him to the police last year.

Officers from Kent police searched his home and seized his computer, finding indecent images and records of online conversations he’d had with children.

The court heard he had chatted to girls online and persuaded some to expose themselves to him via webcam, and had stored the conversations and videos using screen capture software.

On one occasion he pretended to be 15 to try to persuade a 12-year-old in Australia to expose herself via webcam and used online maps of Sydney to try to work out where she lived.

Passing sentence, Judge Philip Statman called Bennett “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

After the sentencing, Kent police’s Detective Constable Mikaela Stevens, who led the investigation, said: “Bennett has denied any wrongdoing throughout his interviews.

“But the evidence presented in court shows the extent of planning he would undertake in order to commit these crimes.”

Bennett was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and has been given a 10-year sex offences prevention order.