A HOMELESS paedophile who encouraged a nine-year-old girl into sex acts on a webcam app has been jailed for four years.

Glen Friend, 28, from Walthamstow, was “heavily involved” in persuading the young girl into exposing intimate parts of her body on the Live.Me app.

The app is used by children all over the world, but once they post a video they have limited control over who views it.

The video the girl posted after Friend’s encouragement in May this year was viewed by almost 300 users and was free to watch until its removal, which had to be requested by police.

Scotland Yard said this type of offending causes its victims “extensive damage” and they encouraged parents to “stay vigilant” with their children’s activity on social media.

Already a convicted paedophile, Friend was arrested on Friday (August 4) as he left prison, where he was serving time for breaching his sex offender notification requirements.

Field was also subject to the Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which specifically banned him from contacting anyone under the age of 18 through any method of communication.

He was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court today (August 14), having pleaded guilty to inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He was jailed for four years and handed a two-year extended supervision order.

The case is believed to be the Met's first successful conviction of a predator using the 'Live.Me' app to groom young children.

The Met is still trying to identify the other users on Live.Me, who alongside Friend, encouraged the child into performing sex acts.

Detective Sergeant Fenton Davis, from the Waltham Forest Jigsaw Unit, said: "This application is extremely well used by children. Those who register seek to gain 'likes' and 'electronic gifts' from other users. The more they receive, the higher their status within that online community.

"Glen Friend is a predatory sexual offender, who targeted a vulnerable victim via this app. Offenders who seek to hide behind an online username in an attempt to hide their identity will be relentlessly pursued by investigators.

"We would like to thank South Yorkshire Police for their assistance with our investigation in helping to identify the child concerned.

"The amount of damage this type of encounter causes to these very young victims can be extensive. It became apparent from our talks with the girl in this case that she is easily upset and very sensitive after what she has gone through.

"Parents should be ever vigilant of their child's activity on social media sites, particularly in regard to video streaming apps.

"This conviction clearly demonstrates that people who use these streaming sites for criminal means, in particular to commit sexual offences, will be tracked down and prosecuted for their actions."

A charity leading the way in preventing cruelty against children said Friend proved he has a “flagrant disregard for the law”.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “Friend not only breached his prevention order but also manipulated and exploited a young girl for his own sordid pleasure.

“Now that he is rightly behind bars, we hope his victim is receiving all available support to move forward with her life.

“This case shows just how vital it is for parents and carers talk to their children about staying safe online."

Advice is available for parents on the charity's Net Aware and Share Aware websites, or via the NSPCC and O2’s online safety helpline on 0808 800 5002.