A man who offered to provide crystal meth in exchange for be able to rape and torture a 12-year-old girl has been jailed.

Aaron St Omer, from Woodford Green, told an undercover police officer he wanted to rape and torture underage girls on an encrypted messaging site in August last year.

The 32-year-old then followed through on his plans, meeting up with the officer at The Masque Haunt pub in Old Street.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard how police began to investigate St Omer after a user of the website Wickr raised concerns about his behaviour.

They were able to speak online with St Omer, who was using the name “twistedtaboo85”, and arrange a meeting to supposedly trade drugs for a girl.

During a phone call with the undercover officer before their meeting, St Omer admitted having a sexual interest in underage girls and said that he wanted to sexually assault them.

He also asked the officer if he could get girls that he could burn with a cigarette.

St Omer was arrested as he sat in the pub with the undercover officer at around 11am on August 10 last year and was found to be carrying lubricant, drugs and some sex toys.

He was jailed on Friday for nine years, with an extended licence period of four years for a string of offences including arranging a child sex offence and possession of various controlled drugs.

Karen Phillips, senior prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in north London, said: “Aaron St Omer had fantasies about torturing and sexually abusing young girls.

“The prosecution was able to prove that he had gone equipped to do carry his fantasies out, clearly believing that bartering drugs to hurt young girls was a suitable trade-off.

“This investigation and prosecution was only possible thanks to the website user who reported St Omer and therefore I would like to encourage members of the public who may have similar concerns about children being abused or tortured to take action and call the police.

“St Omer will now spend time in prison where he will no longer be a threat to children.

“The CPS takes abuse against young people extremely seriously and will continue to prosecute cases where there is evidence to do so.”