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An evil paedophile who made a child torture chamber then tried to snatch two girls has been jailed for life.

Cops found a fake gun, kitchen knife, tape and lengths of string on vile George Richards when they arrested him, the Sunday People reports.

Windows of his flat in Ware, Herts, were blacked out, high bolts were fitted to the doors and there were newspaper cuttings about ­murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

Depraved Richards, now 29, was about do work experience at a primary school in 2003 when he was arrested in an FBI sting for trying to buy a nine-year-old East European girl for sex through the internet.

Then, the trainee teacher was jailed for three years at the Old Bailey.

In September last year he tried to abduct a 10-year-old girl on a footbridge in Ware but fled after being shouted at by an off-duty cop.

The following Monday he grabbed a girl of five in a cul-de-sac in the town. He ran off but when officers found him nearby he brandished a fake gun.

On Friday Richards, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of child ­abduction, using an imitation firearm and ­possessing a knife, was told he must serve at least seven years of his life sentence.

(Image: INS)

Dante Leccacorvi, defending Richards at St Albans Crown Court, claimed the paedophile was trying to “goad” police, who he thought were spying on him.

But Judge John Plumstead ­rubbished the claim he was playing a game with cops, insisting Richards was intent on abducting at least one of the youngsters.

Mr Plumstead said: “The level of danger you represent to the public is enormous. I am ­perfectly sure you were intent on abducting and sexually assaulting, or worse, helpless children, but you lost your nerve.”

Adrian Foster, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “These were despicable crimes against ­defenceless young girls which could have had far worse consequences. It is impossible to imagine a more vulnerable victim.

“George Richards has today been sentenced to life with a minimum term of seven years and can no longer prey upon further children.”

A statement from the Ware victims’ families, said: “The man who did this is dangerous and whilst knowing he is now in prison may help us rebuild our lives, we have also been sentenced to living with these awful memories forever.”

In 2003, he looked for a child victim on an internet chatroom set up by the US law officers. They tipped off Scotland Yard which mounted an undercover ­operation to meet him at London’s Victoria station.

The Canterbury Christ Church University student was arrested at a hotel where he planned to pay £250 for the “girl”.

He had a gun, a teddy bear and a ­condom.

Police discovered leg shackles, handcuffs, a police baton, a kitchen knife and a roll of tape in his digs.