A SERIAL sex offender has been jailed for four years at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Friday).

Phillips Brookes was recently seen on video smirking as a team of paedophile hunters challenged him about his behaviour with what he thought was an 11-year-old girl, and it was broadcast live on Facebook and shared widely.

The footage showed how the paedophile hunters became increasingly agitated as the man, confronted in a sting operation on the Island, fired back sarcastic comments when they questioned him over sexual communications with a child.

He later claimed he had wanted to be caught.

At the end of the film, a police officer arrives to arrest him.

Phillip Brookes, of Clarence Road, East Cowes, was already a serial sex offender, having once uploaded a video of himself abusing a 12-year-old girl to the internet for money, Winchester Crown Court heard in July.

In that instance, he was jailed for a year.

Isle of Wight County Press:

Soon after his release, Brookes had started to send sickening messages to a 'girl' who told him she was 11 years old. Brookes told the child to perform sexual acts, among a series of depraved topics.

The 41-year-old arranged to meet the child in East Cowes, but instead found himself confronted outside a supermarket by several adults from the Northwest Hebephile Hunters, who had travelled overnight from the north of England to catch him out.

During a two-day trial at Winchester Crown Court, Brookes was cross-examined by prosecuting lawyer Gemma White, who asked him about his eight previous offences against children since 2012 and the fact that he had been made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

After just one hour of deliberation, Brookes was convicted by the jury of four counts of attempting to cause a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempted communication with a child.

Judge Susan Evans sentenced Brookes today.