A PAEDOPHILE stormed out of the dock after explicit messages he sent were read aloud to a judge on Tuesday.

Alex Buckland shouted: "I can't do it. I've never had a relationship in my life. [Do you] see what this is doing to me" as prosecutor Stuart Ellacott opened the case against him at Bournemouth Crown Court.

He then left the dock through a door leading to the cells and refused to return until Mr Ellacott had finished speaking.

Buckland, 26, had been communicating with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, and arranged to meet her.

However, 'Jessica' was in fact a fake Facebook profile created by Lisa Marshall of vigilante group Justice 4 Kids. Buckland was confronted at his former home in Portelet Close, Poole, by members of the group.

He initially contacted the fictional teenager, who replied to say 'she' was just 13.

Despite that, Buckland sent explicit videos and photographs, both of himself and other people, as well as a series of graphic messages.

He also did the same to a 15-year-old girl, who he initially believed to be 17. Although she quickly revealed her true age, he sent a series of messages and photos to her.

She later told police: “He wouldn’t go away. I was not encouraging him at all.”

Buckland, who is now of no fixed abode, admitted intentionally attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 into sexual activity, travelling with the intention of meeting her to commit a relevant sexual offence and intentionally attempting to communicate with a girl under the age of 16 and that the communication was sexual.

Judge Stephen Climie said the offences had taken place over a short timeframe. No physical sexual assault occurred.

"This is a comparatively unusual case," he said.

"He is a vulnerable, remote, depressed young man who has never had a relationship."

A prison sentence would "crush" Buckland, who stands a good chance of being rehabilitated, he said.

During the judge's sentencing remarks, the defendant made repeated outbursts, at one point shouting: "I've met a 14-year-old girl.

"Nothing happened, we just chatted. That's what was going to happen [with 'Jessica']."

As Judge Climie said he would sentence Buckland to a three-year community order, the defendant said: "Make it 10 years - I'll do it.

"I need real help, I know that."

As part of his sentence, Buckland must participate in sex offenders' programme Horizon and carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

He will also be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for five years, as part of which he must register as a sex offender with police.