Isleworth Crown Court heard this month how a man lured a 14 year old girl from Ealing through a mobile phone texting club. He drove to West London from Stroud in Gloucestershire to meet her after an exchange of text messages.

He admitted in court to meeting the girl and sexually molesting her although he claimed it was with consent. Anthony Whittard, aged 43, had a previous conviction for a similar offence for which he served 18 months in 1996. He was jailed for two and a half years and must sign on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was reported missing in October of last year. She was found crying by a woman in a Brentford park. The woman took her home where the girl made a call to Whittard who claimed to be her uncle and said he would drive up from the West Country to collect her. Fortunately the woman was suspicious and phone the police. They contacted Whittard and asked him to report to Southall police station where he admitted to the assault.

Texting clubs are similar to chat rooms but use mobile phones instead of computers.