A SEX pest who stalked the streets of Halton trying to entice young girls into taking part in hardcore porn photo shoots has been banned from approaching any woman in the UK for five years.

Salesman Phillip Starr, who lives in Widnes, targeted women from the driving seat of his company sports car as they walked home and approached them making obscene suggestions.

But his perverted reign came to an end when one of his eight victims noted down his car registration and informed the police.

Investigations revealed he had a record of sex crimes and the courts used legislation to ban him from approaching women.

The 35-year-old had three previous convictions for indecent assault on girls under the age of 16 and another for indecent exposure, for which he had been placed on probation in 1995.

Last year he approached eight females - the youngest just 13 - while they were walking alone. He pounced in Widnes, Runcorn and Warrington.

The serial sex pest showed them pornographic magazines and asked them if they would like to be photographed while he tried to persuade them to get into his car.

But he told police officers that his behaviour was 'a sad chat-up line'. However, he admitted he did it for the 'excitement' and that he had a lust for teenage girls and carried porn and a camera in his car.

Deputy District Judge David Gosling told Warrington Crown Court: 'I'm satisfied that the order is necessary to protect a section of the public from serious sexual harm. There is no doubt his behaviour constituted the targeting of young and vulnerable girls.'

Under new legislation, Starr, who is separated from his wife, will be locked-up if he breaks the conditions of his sentence.

These include that he does not approach or communicate with or attempt to initiate contact with any female under the age of 16 or any lone female not otherwise known to him, on a road or a public place.

He must also not openly carry pornographic or sexually-suggestive material in his car and must declare to police any vehicle which he uses regularly.

Starr's address has been kept secret for legal reasons. Cheshire police confirmed this was the first time they made a successful application under the new-legislation part of the Sex Offenders' Act 2003 which came into effect on May 1.