A man has been jailed after he requested naked photos of a child - but the account he was messaging turned out to be an undercover police officer.

Michael Mann, 55, of Woodley Gardens in Lymington, sent messages to a Lycos account which he believed belonged to a 12-year-old girl. 

The account was actually being run by officers investigating internet child abuse.

A police spokesperson said: "Despite being told on multiple occasions he was speaking to a child, Mann continued to talk inappropriately and ask sexual questions, including asking if she liked sex and saying he wanted to kiss her whole body, discussing what her first sexual experience would be like, and requesting photos of her breasts to turn him on."

Mann pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was jailed for eight months at Southampton Crown Court.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.