A CHEF posing a “high risk” to children was jailed after he groomed a 15-year-old schoolgirl and sent her an obscene picture of himself on Snapchat.

Paedophile Dewi Mortimer, 24, of Oakdale, near Blackwood, was undergoing sex offender treatment programmes at the time for committing an offence against underage girls in 2017.

On that occasion he had contacted two 13-year-old schoolgirls on Facebook and sent them sexually explicit images and “mentioned a threesome”.

Prosecutor Lowri Wynn Morgan told Cardiff Crown Court how Mortimer’s latest offences were discovered when the defendant’s ex-girlfriend tipped off Gwent Police in March.

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His former partner, she said, discovered he had been making contact with underage girls, including a 15-year-old from Yorkshire, for more than a year.

Mortimer was prohibited from communicating with children under the age of 16 after a sexual harm prevention order had been imposed.

Miss Wynn Morgan said: “The defendant and the girl had arranged to meet but that didn’t take place because he thought better of it and he cancelled the meeting.

“He had initially lied and told her he was 16 or 17. He told her she was good-looking and sent her a photo of himself.

“After his arrest, he claimed that his account had been hacked. He later admitted that what he did amounted to grooming.”

Mortimer, of Kincoed Road, pleaded guilty to communicating with the girl in breach of a sexual harm prevention order and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Jeffrey Jones, mitigating, said his client had sought to get help and advice for his behaviour.

The court was told he had contacted child protection charities like Stop It Now and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation for their assistance.

It also heard how the defendant, who had worked as a chef at the Dragonfly pub in Newport, had since lost his job.

Mr Jones added: “There is shame, embarrassment and regret and it is genuine.”

Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Mortimer: “You have been assessed as posing a high risk of harm to children.

“You have had ample opportunity over a three-year period to mend your ways and you have failed to do so.

“My duty is to protect young people from you and from your sexual purposes.”

Judge Jenkins jailed him for 16 months and told him he will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Mortimer was also made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order.