A JUDGE who jailed a man who tried to abduct a 16-year-old girl at a bus stop, said young girls using public transport at night must be protected.

Anthony Wardle, aged 45, sobbed in the dock as Judge Derwin Hope jailed him for three years at Bolton Crown Court yesterday, saying he believed there was a sexual motive.

Judge Hope told Wardle: "The public and particularly young girls using buses late at night must be protected from people like you."

The father-of-one, of Ribchester Grove, Breightmet, was found guilty of attempting to abduct a 16-year-old girl when she was standing at a bus stop in the rain on Chorley New Road, Horwich, on June 30 last year.

The victim had left work in Horwich at 10pm and walked to the bus stop, where she arrived at 10.15pm to wait for her bus home.

The court heard that Wardle drove past the bus stop in a Ford Fiesta, then turned around and drove past again, before stopping and offering the girl a lift. He then got out of the car and grabbed the front of the girl's jacket before opening the passenger door and attempting to push her inside.

The teenager struggled free and ran across the road back towards her workplace. It was only then that she saw the man drive away.

Police arrested Wardle the following day and carried out a search of his property, where they found videos containing child pornography downloaded on to his computer. He pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing child porn, but said he planned to sell it for a profit and that it was not for personal use.

Prosecuting, Karl Berry said the 16-year-old victim was "extremely upset and frightened" by the incident.

Michael Hayton, defending, said: "This is a man of previous good character who has no previous convictions.

"He maintains his innocence as far as the attempted kidnapping charge is concerned. He admitted stopping and speaking to the girl, but said he did not get out of the vehicle or touch her."

Sentencing Wardle to two and a half years for the attempted kidnapping and six months for possessing child pornography, Judge Derwin Hope said: "This must have been a terrifying experience for the victim. She is now petrified of using the bus alone.

"It is significant and, indeed, connected that the police found child pornography at your home. I am sure that you were attempting to kidnap a girl and I think you had a sexual motive."

Wardle will also be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and will be banned from working with children and young people.