A BLACKBURN man has been put on the sex offenders register after starting a relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

Forty-year-old Brian Chisnall of Whinney Lane, admitted engaging in sexual activity with the girl between September 1, 2010 and September 31, 2010 and also on January 1, 2011.

Blackburn’s Engage team, which specialises in child exploitation, became aware of the case when the girl’s parents noticed she was spending a lot of time with Chisnall.

DC David Dutton of the Engage Team said: “The dad noticed she was spending a lot of time with Chisnall and they were a bit too close.

“Then her Facebook relationship changed to ‘in a relationship’, and the girl’s step mum saw a kiss between them.”

The parents contacted the Engage team and Chisnall was given a Section 2 Abduction Notice, and he agreed to stop seeing the girl. However, throughout 2011, and the girl’s parents once again became suspicious and it was found that he had flouted the order.

DC Dutton said: “We analysed the pair’s telephones and computers and it became apparent that a relationship was ongoing between them.

“Chisnall was clearly in breach of the order, was arrested, and pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child.”

Chisnall, who works as an engineer for a firm in Blackburn, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to a two-year community order and will be subjected to court supervision for two years.

He has been given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) to last for five years, meaning he is allowed no unsupervised contact with a child under 16.

DC Dutton added: “The sentence is satisfactory. Each case we deal with is different, and to us, it’s not all about the prosecution, but about protecting the child.

“In this case, I believe the girl has been protected from further harm and we are pleased at the outcome.”