A SEX offender who tried to lure girls as young as 13 into his company car for pornographic photo shoots has been banned from approaching women for five years.

Phillip Edward Starr, a sales rep, aged 35, drove up to lone teenage girls in his silver sports car and offered them cash to model for him.

Starr, formerly of Warrington, now living in Widnes, had pornographic magazines on display in his car each time he made an advance.

But he was traced when a 13-year-old girl, whom he approached on Dallam Lane, on February 25 last year, took down his car registration number.

On Friday, at Warrington Magistrates Court, Cheshire Police requested that Starr should be barred from approaching women, and his movements monitored.

Peter Moss, prosecuting, established that Starr had three previous convictions for indecent assault on girls under the age of 16 and another for indecent exposure, for which he was placed on probation in 1995.

The court heard that between February and October last year, Starr had approached eight separate females, aged between 13 and 31, while they were walking alone in Warrington, Widnes and Runcorn.

In his interview with police he admitted to his actions and said that it was a 'sad chat-up line' and that he did it for a 'bit of excitement'.

Starr admitted that he was interested in girls in their late teens and added that if any of the women had accepted his offer he had no place in mind to take them.

He said that when he committed these offences he was going through a 'very difficult time in his life'.

Deputy district judge David Gosling said he was satisfied that a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPA) was necessary to protect lone females from 'serious sexual harm'.

Over the next five years Starr must not approach, 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 public place.

He must not openly carry pornographic or sexually suggestive material and must declare to police any vehicle, which he uses regularly, and any changes of address.

If he breaks these restrictions he could face imprisonment.

The SOPA is the first of its kind in Cheshire. The court imposed an order banning the reporting of Starr's address.

The court was told that in Warrington, last year, Starr approached five lone teenagers on: Dallam Lane, on February 25; Pearson Avenue, on June 13, Loushers Lane, on June 19; Hillock Lane, on July 1, and on Old Liverpool Road, on October 17.