STEPHEN Reed-Darby faked an e-mail from a teen magazine to tell a schoolgirl she was in a modelling competition - then took sexually explicit pictures of her for the "photo shoot."

Worcester Crown Court heard how Reed-Darby had pornographic and semi-pornographic images of the girl stored on his camera, computer, and mobile phone. The 42-year-old on-line display specialist from Venns Lane, Hereford, admitted multiple charges of taking and possessing indecent pictures of children.

He was jailed for 18 months, put on the sex offender register for 10 years and banned from working with children for life.

Francis Laird, prosecuting, told the court that Reed-Darby had been asked to enter the girl in a teen modelling competition run by Bliss magazine. He faked an e-mail saying she was a finalist and set up a photo shoot in which he snapped her in "provocative" poses.

The girl changed into different outfits for these poses including a see-through negligee and a school blazer, said Mr Laird.

For some shots she was asked to emulate poses struck by the pop star Kylie Minogue, he said.

The court heard that when the girl's father saw the shots he called Bliss to complain. The magazine categorically denied sending the e-mail or suggesting the poses and police began an investigation.

Interviewed on video by specialist detectives, the girl described the "photo shoot" that she thought was genuine and what went on. The officers found images of her on Reed-Darby's camera, computer and mobile phone.

Reed-Darby said he faked the e-mail because he had forgotten to enter the girl in the competition when asked and didn't want to disappoint her. He initially denied any indecent motive.

Andrew Davidson, defending, said Reed-Darby's offending went no further than photographs he took for his own sexual gratification.

Passing sentence, Recorder Peter Cooke said the "disgraceful" offences represented a gross breach of trust.