The man exchanged “thousands of messages” with the Sandwell schoolgirl before raping her

Joshua Brown was said to have started texting the girl after being given her phone number by a friend. Despite the fact that he knew she was only 12 at the time, their conversations continued.

Over the course of six weeks, the two exchanged thousands of messages.

Brown, who is from Kent, traveled to meet the girl and raped her in his car.

A few weeks later, the girl revealed what had happened to her mother, and the crime was reported to the police.

The 34-year-old, of Robin Hood Green, Orpington, was traced through his car registration and arrested by the Met Police.

Although he initially denied any wrongdoing, police found messages Brown had sent the girl referencing her age and knowing she would go to jail if caught.

Brown was charged with two counts of rape of a girl under 13, grooming a child, possessing indecent images of a child and soliciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity. He pleaded guilty to all offenses at his first hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on June 19.

He was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a further year on extended licence. He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 20 years.

PC Adrian Jackson, from West Midlands Police’s online child sexual exploitation team, said: “We commend the girl’s courage in coming forward and her tenacity throughout the investigation.

“We have specialist officers who understand how difficult it is to report sex crimes and we are there to help victims at every step of the investigation and prosecution.”