A MAN who groomed a teenage girl on the internet took her to a hotel room and tried to undo her trousers, a court heard.

Sentencing 52-year-old David Stealey, Judge Rupert Overbury said: “There was sufficient evidence of grooming that makes your behaviour somewhat disturbing.”

He said that when the girl rejected his advances in the room Stealey had driven her home but on the way back in his car he had put his hand on her thigh and tried to hold hands with her.

Judge Overbury said Stealey had been assessed as high risk of committing a similar offence in the future unless his sexual attitudes were addressed.

He said the public interest would be best served by Stealey being subject to a three-year community requirement during which he would have to attend the Thames Valley Sex Offenders’ Programme which was an intensive programme designed to stop him re-offending.

He said Stealey, who has spent 141 days in custody, would have to live where directed by his probation officer during the order.

Judge Overbury also made a sexual offences prevention order restricting Stealey’s future use of the internet and contact with girls under 16 and ordered him to sign on the sex offenders’ register.

Stealey, of Defoe Crescent, Colchester, admitted two offences of sexual activity with a child.

Andrew Thompson, for Stealey, said his client had no previous convictions and had initially been told by the girl she was 16.