Child sex offender who photographed victim jailed

A child sex offender who photographed himself abusing one of his victims has been jailed.

Michael Monaghan, 52, assaulted three young girls before one of them reported it to her mother, who contacted the police.

Investigating officers discovered an indecent image of a man and a young girl on a memory stick at his home on Edward Road in Blackley. The pair were later identified as Monaghan and one of his victims.

Monaghan was handed an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting three girls, and taking indecent photographs of one of them, in addition to possessing nearly 1,000 explicit images of children.

He was also given a sexual offences prevention order, restricting his internet usage and contact with youngsters under the age of 16.

The victims' families attended court to see the judge pass sentence on Monaghan.

Addressing them directly, Robert Atherton said: "It’s a very unpleasant matter you have all had to go through. I don’t for one moment think you will regard this as the end of the matter because you have got the children to look after, they depend on you."