TWO 17-year-olds, who took pictures of themselves as they sexually abused a drunken 14-year-old girl, have each been jailed for three years.

One of the pair threatened to put the mobile phone images online, a court heard.

Sentencing them at Burnley Crown Court Judge Beverley Lunt said: “You are not children. You are young men. You chose to ignore standards of morality and the law.”

The court was told the victim described herself as ‘very, very drunk’ in January when Tee-jay Walker, 17, performed a sex act on her.

David Lingard, then 17 and now 18, had intercourse with the girl whilst Walker photographed the pair.

After the girl had had more alcohol and was said to be ‘unconscious’ the defendants abused, insulted and degraded her some more – laughing, posing and ‘clearly enjoying it’ as they took pictures of themselves on a mobile phone.

Walker was said to have threatened to post the photos online.

Lingard, of Lionel Street, and Walker, of Wavell Street, both Burnley, had each admitted sexual activity with a child, sexual assault and taking indecent photos of a child.

Lingard was sent to a young offenders' institution and Walker to detention.

Both will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

Mark Savill, prosecuting, said the offences took place at a house in Burnley.

The defendants got into bed and asked the victim to get in with them. She was wearing clothes at that point and the teenagers started to undress her.

The prosecutor said: “She puts herself as very, very, very drunk at this point.”

Walker then performed a sex act on the girl and Lingard had sex with her.

At this point the girl became aware Walker was taking photographs.

One of the pictures was a level 4 indecent picture – next to the most serious level – and showed Lingard having sex with the schoolgirl.

Three others were taken later and showed the defendants' private parts and; a young woman who is plainly unconscious’.

Mr Savill said police were called after the victim told a teacher at school what had happened. Neither defendant had any previous convictions.

For Lingard, Martin Hackett said alcohol was not used by either defendant to facilitate the offence.

The barrister continued: "His actions were, and indeed are, wholly out of character for this young man. He will now have to face his punishment for his disgraceful and serious behaviour over that short period of time."

Mr Hackett told the court: "This was a one-off offence, a bad and serious offence, an offence which will mean he loses his liberty, but the sentence could be kept as short as possible." The barrister added: "His parents are devastated at their son's behaviour."

James Heyworth, defending Walker, said: "This is wholly and exceptionally out of character for him."

The barrister, who said references spoke of Walker as being kind and generous, said he had wanted to be a football coach, but that would not now happen.

He had had a difficult life, had lost his father, but had still continued to do his best to try to make something of himself.

Mr Heyworth added: "There is no real explanation for what happened. It happened. It was horrible, he is sorry for what he has done. He cannot turn back the clock. He cannot put it right."

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told the defendants they both knew the girl was clearly under the influence of alcohol and was vulnerable.

She added: "A non custodial sentence would be wholly against the interests of justice."