A PAEDOPHILE who sexually exploited a 13-year-old girl from Brighton has been jailed for 11 years and three months.

Kerien Rudland met his victim on the internet, which is where he groomed her.

They met in Brighton on Sunday, February 10, 2019. He had sexual activity with her on the beach in Brighton and on a train with her on the way back to London.

The girl was reported missing by her family, and when the police checked her PlayStation, they found recent contact between her and Rudland on Facebook.

He had pleaded guilty at Brighton Crown Court on November 27, 2019, to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, meeting a child following sexual grooming and two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

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The 24-year-old, from Eltham in London was also imprisoned for separately attempting to meet a girl for sexual purposes. He was sentenced at Chichester Crown Court on June 25.

Rudland will be a registered sex offender for life and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

This will severely restrict his access to children and computers until further court notice.

Detective Sergeant Matt Stevens said: "As a result of our intensive enquiries, working with our colleagues in the Metropolitan Police, they were located in London at his mother's address where he was living, by 11am the following morning, and he was arrested.

"The girl was safe and has been receiving support from our specialist officers and independent agencies since.

"We also received valuable assistance from both Humberside Police and British Transport Police.

"Kerien Rudland is, without doubt, a serious danger to children. He began his offending online, quickly progressing to contact sexual offending with a child.

"Sussex Police Safeguarding Investigation Units work tirelessly to safeguard children, prosecute offenders and enable them to be removed from society."

He did plead not guilty to two offences of abduction and sexual assault, and these were directed to lay on the court file without being proceeded with.

For advice and sources of support over suspicions of child sexual exploitation, see the Sussex Police website here: https://www.sussex.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/child-sexual-exploitation/.