A PAEDOPHILE who had unprotected sex with a "vulnerable" underage girl has been jailed for five years.

Philip Dally, 46, exchanged more than 10,000 online messages with the "naive" girl, a court heard today.

Dally, of Lower Leigh Road, Pontypool, "groomed" the girl and bought her a "cheap" £25 engagement ring, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

The girl had to take a pregnancy test to which he reacted "offensively", the court was told.

He also asked her to delete information which would show her age, the court heard.

He later claimed that he thought the girl was 17 and suggested she had instigated the contact, the court heard.

But Cardiff Judge Tom Crowther rejected this account saying this was the "eternal lament of a paedophile".

Dally later pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16.

Jailing him for five years today Judge Crowther said: "You knew what you were doing.

"You knew what you were doing was wrong."

The girl started to self harm and had trouble sleeping following the contact, prosecutor John Probert told the court.

Defence barrister, Ruth Smith, said she could only offer "limited mitigation" in the case.

However, she stressed that her client had pleaded guilty to the sexual offences.

She added he was previously of good character and had had a productive life and always remained in employment.

Judge Crowther ordered him to serve half his prison sentence in custody and the remainder on licence.

Judge Crowther also imposed a sexual offences prevention order which will restrict Dally's contacts with children.