A would-be child abuser who planned to get a six-year-old girl “tipsy” pleaded guilty to child sex offences.

Peter Rider, 40, formerly of Ivory Road in Norwich, exchanged messages with a man in which he described the sexual acts he would like to carry out on the man’s step daughter.

Rider was unaware he was had been speaking to an undercover police officer from the Kent police paedophile online investigation team.

He drove from Norwich down to Caterham to meet the man where he had been encouraged to collect the child.

He had discussed with the undercover cop plying the child with alcohol and revealing he had sweets in his car during email and telephone conversation during September 2016.

On September 23, Rider drove to meet the man in Caterham and at 11.30 am he was approached and arrested by detectives from Kent Police.

A search of his car revealed items, including bags of sweets and a USB memory stick.

A forensic examination of the memory stick revealed it contained 409 indecent images of children. Of these, 38 images were classed as Category A, the most serious level.

During police interview Rider said he hadn’t intended to carry out any offences against the child, claiming “it was only a fantasy”. On 4 January, 2017 Rider appeared before Maidstone Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to arranging the commission of a child sexual offence.

He had previously also pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing indecent images of children. Rider will be sentenced at the same court on 28 February, 2017.