A paedophile who attempted to film young girls getting changed at the London Aquatics Centre has been jailed for two years and nine months.

Robert Prior was caught after police received information that the 43-year-old had been discussing the sexual abuse of children with others online.

Police searched his home in Upland Road, Billericay, in July 2018 and found items including a phone and laptop which had indecent images of children in, as well as a keyring camera which had deleted films on.

Officers discovered Prior had attempted to use the device to try and film girls in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park venue's changing rooms in 2017 and 2018. He was unsuccessful and no indecent images of pool users were actually taken.

During a police interview, he indicated his intention had been to capture such images on the small camera.

The investigation also found Prior had discussed child sexual abuse online with another person, and the pair had then met up to look at indecent images of children.

Appearing at Basildon Magistrates' Court in November, Prior admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, two counts of attempting to take indecent images of children and one count of publishing an obsecene article.

He was sentenced for the offences on Monday, January 6, when he was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order in addition to the jail term.

Pc Sam Kyle, from the online investigation team, said: "Robert Prior carried out a plan to try and film young girls as they changed but fortunately was not successful.

"He actively searched out others who shared his obscene desires to not only discuss them, but to watch indecent images with them.

"His crimes will have a lasting impact on those affected and I hope this sentence will help them move forward.

"He did at least admit his crimes and will now be spending the foreseeable future behind bars."