A PREDATORY teen paedophile who kept a "murder manual" of his 30 intended victims has been caged.

Harry Leigh, 19, wanted to be known as the 'Red Ribbon Killer of Hastings' and made detailed plans to kill young girls and leave red ribbons by their bodies.

Cops searched Leigh's home in Hastings, in Sussex, when he was arrested for the rape of a 15-year-old schoolgirl after he offered to help with her homework.

There they discovered a murder manual, plastic sheeting, maps and a collection of knives.

After his arrest many more victims came forward who had been attacked by him.

During a trial at Hove Crown Court, the unemployed teen pleaded guilty to five counts of inciting four girls aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual activity, eight counts of causing seven girls aged between 12 and 15 to watch a sexual act and three counts of making indecent images of children in January 2018.

This included Category A content, the most serious category that exists.

Leigh was sentenced to eight years in jail with an extended prison release licence of six years for the rape of the schoolgirl.

SCHOOLGIRL RAPE
In a harrowing victim impact statement the schoolgirl said: "It’s hard to put into words all the ways this has affected my life and who I thought I was going to be.

“I don’t feel comfortable in my own skin and I feel that looking at me can always tell.

“I have nightmares almost every night. I can’t stuff the feelings back inside.

“I’m still full of anger and resentment at what happened.

“I know I’m getting better but I don’t know if I will ever feel differently.”

PERSISTENT SEX OFFENDER
The court heard his offending started when he was just 13 years old and became increasingly serious.

Heather Stangoe, prosecuting, said: "He is a persistent sexual offender whose crimes have become increasingly grave as he has grown up."

She said the rape included violence, adding: "There was choking around her neck. The victim’s mother spotted a bite mark on her shoulder and went straight to the police."

While under investigation for the rape, police were alerted to a report from a girl Leigh had messaged saying he wanted to be a serial killer.

He had also posted some tweets about wanting to kill people.

'RED RIBBON KILLER'
Judge David Rennie told Leigh that psychiatric assessments showed he had psychopathic traits.

He said: “During their investigations police found a folder relation to a character called the Red Ribbon Killer.

“There were photos of you in that persona, there were studies of serial killers around the world, expressions of hatred against certain individuals, taunts to the police for not catching the killer before he commits his offences, a detailed map of the hunting ground where either killer was to operate, and a list of some 30 intended victims.”

He added: "You have caused untold harm."

Detective Sergeant Steve Shimmons of the Hastings Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "The behaviour demonstrated by Harry Leigh was predatory against young girls.

"Most of the victims were then included in his list of people he supposedly wanted to kill."

Superintendent Emma Brice said: "Harry Leigh is clearly a dangerous young man. We believe the sentence reflects this and helps to ensure that the public remain safe."

Leigh was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and given a 15 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting his access to computers and children under 16.