A sex offender who claims to be transgender has been jailed for 11 years after pretending to be a boy to try and groom a girl.

Jacinta Brooks, 41, asked a 12-year-old girl to send indecent pictures of herself – the third time she is known to have targeted children.

Brooks, who identifies as a woman and was previously known as Duncan Smart, has previously faced the courts for having sex with someone who is underage and child abuse.

Jacinta Brooks, 41, asked a 12-year-old girl to send indecent pictures of herself by pretending to be a boy (Picture: Hampshire Police)

The latest victim’s mother said that she would be haunted for the rest of a life by ‘this pathetic excuse of a person’ and had been forced to leave because of the severe trauma.

Judge Nicholas Rowland described Brooks a ‘danger to children’ at Southampton Crown Court.

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Prosecutor Berenice Mulvanny said that police found screenshots of the conversation with the girl along with hundreds of child abuse pictures.

Brooks gave no comment during a police interview but admitted she ‘couldn’t argue’ about being attracted to children.

Miss Mulvanny said: ‘Brooks knew the girl was underage but sent her sexual messages. The defendant originally pretended to be a 14-year-old boy but soon admitted her real age.’

Brooks was jailed for 11 years at Southampton Crown Court (Picture: Google Street View)

The court heard Brooks’ victim was forced to leave school and was suffering with trauma after the incident.

In a victim impact statement the girl’s mother said: ‘The fact I cannot protect my daughter from this pathetic excuse of a person will haunt me forever.’

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Brooks, of Winchester, Hampshire, admitted three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and three of possessing indecent images.

Brooks was released from prison two years ago, having served almost 13 years behind bars for attacking the girl under 16 in 2003.

Judge Rowland ordered that Brooks must notify police if creating any future social media and email accounts and must also give officers the passwords.

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Brook’s lawyer Robert Harding claimed much had changed in the time his client had been behind bars and she had struggled to understand social media and online networking.

Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer PC Simon Leon, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: ‘Brooks is a dangerous individual and we are pleased this case has now come to a conclusion.’