A PERSISTENT sex offender from Bromsgrove who tried to chat up a 15-year-old in a shop has been jailed.

Anthony Dobson, 41, of Lyttleton Avenue, chased after the girl and handed her a note of his name and phone number.

Dobson's approaches to the girl put him in breach of a sexual offences prevention order made after he admitted very similar offences four years ago.

The order bans him from any unsolicited contact with women and girls - in particular giving them notes.

Gloucester Crown Court was told Dobson is considered to pose a serious threat of re-offending.

Dobson admitted breach of the order and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

Prosecutor Lisa Hennessy said on February 19, last year, Dobson drove to Tewkesbury to deliver milk to a One Stop shop.

Two girls were in the shop dressed up as a vampire and a ghost for a photoshoot.

The girls saw Dobson pushing a trolley of milk cartons, then later realised he was standing very close to the 15-year-old.

"He lowered his head, looked at her and said ‘Nice’," said Mrs Hennessy.

"She was very embarrassed.

"She headed off with her friend but as they walked the man ran after them and said ‘Excuse me, excuse me’.

"He was holding a piece of paper and holding it out to her, asked her to give him a ring saying 'If there's a time when you're not busy’.”

Dobson’s first name, Tony, and his mobile number were on the paper.

"He then ran off," added Mrs Hennessy.

Police tracked Dobson down and found he is subject to the order, made by Redditch Magistrates in 2009.

Mrs Hennessy said the order was made after a similar offence when Dobson chatted up two girls, aged 13 and 15, in Droitwich.

Dobson had already committed one previous order breach by using the internet on his phone, she said.

Judge Recorder Michael de Navarro described a list of Dobson's previous convictions as “rather troubling”.

There were several indecent assaults and several offences of indecent exposure, the judge said.

One of his offences was when Dobson stood naked on his own doorstep, as girls aged 11 and 12 walked by.

Defence barrister David Hull urged the court to consider a community order with sex offender treatment. He said Dobson has been married 10 years and has two children.

Recorder de Navarro told Dobson: "My concern is about public protection and marking the fact that orders of this sort are meant to be complied with and not breached."