A FORMER Blackburn Eagles ice hockey star has been jailed after being convicted of grooming a 15-year-old girl over the internet.

Jason Fitton, 35, of James Street, Great Harwood, appeared before a judge at Preston Crown Court where he was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Fitton, who worked as a fireman, met the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, over the internet and engaged in conversations of a sexual nature with her. Fitton was also found in possession of indecent images.

The incidents happened in Blackburn between March 28, 2015, and May 23, 2015.

Fitton, who was a keen ice hockey player, was given two months to be served consecutively for sexual activity with a child, two years to be served concurrently for meeting a child following sexual grooming and 28 months to be served consecutively for causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.

This means the maximum sentence he will serve is 30 months. He was made subject to a sexual offences order and told to pay a victim surcharge of £120.

Speaking after the hearing, Det Sgt Mark Whelan, from the public protection unit, said: “This was a man in a professional position of trust acting in a very unprofessional manner with a vulnerable child.

“The teamwork between school, parents and the engagement team was able to bring the case to court. We are very happy with the sentence as it puts out a message that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Lancashire.”

Anyone with information about grooming should call the public protection unit on 101 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.