A TEENAGER who regularly had sex with a 12-year-old girl he met on Facebook has been jailed.

Burnley Crown Court heard how 18-year-old Jack Simpson was fully aware of the girl’s age at the time of the interactions and only stopped when he was warned off by her social worker.

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The court was told that Simpson, who was between the ages of 16 and 17 during the four-month period of offending, was in a relationship with the girl and that the sex was consensual.

But Judge Jonathon Gibson said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was too young to consent and Simpson knew what he was doing was wrong.

Prosecutor Paul Brookwell told the court that suspicions were first raised that the victim may have been in an inappropriate relationship in December 2014 but at that stage there was no information identifying Simpson, of Vicarage Road, Barnoldswick.

But the court heard in June 2014 social services became aware of the relationship between Simpson and the victim.

At that stage the victim denied she was in a relationship with Simpson and said they were just ‘good friends’. But the social worker spoke to Simpson and warned him to stay away.

Mr Brookwell said: “This came to a head in August 2015 when the victim attended the Brook Clinic asking for emergency contraception.

“There was a disclosure made about the relationship with with Jack Simpson. That was when the police became involved.”

Mr Brookwell said during the victim’s interview with police, she said she had met the victim on Facebook in September 2014 and met in person one month later.

He added: “Even knowing of her age, she said the sexual relationship with the defendant began in March 2015. This continues for a four-month period.

“She did say the sexual activity stopped one Mr Simpson had been warned off by social services.”

The court heard the sexual relationship took place at various properties, including the defendant’s father’s, the defendant’s grandmothers and the victim’s house.

Simpson pleased guilty to raping a child under the age of 12 on the basis the sex was consensual. But he did concede it had happened frequently but not on every occasion they met.

Defending, Jeremy Coleman said a psychiatrist said Simpson was immature for his age and did not comprehend the effect his actions would have on his victim.

Sentencing Simpson to 12 months in a young offender’s institution, Judge Gibson, said: “You knew the victim was 12-years-old during the period you were with her and you knew it was wrong to have sex.

“Even though a girl of 12 may consent to intercourse the law is there to protect children from having intercourse when they are too immature to make that decision.”

Simpson was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for 10 years and made subject of a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which limits his interaction with children.