A YOUNG man who admitted having sex with a 14-year-old girl has been locked up for two years.

James Roberts had originally faced a rape allegation, Canterbury Crown Court was told.

But the charge was reduced to two allegations of sexual activity with a child which Roberts, 18, admitted and for which he was sentenced.

Alex Rooke, prosecuting, said the charges involved incidents at The Secret Garden near the Westgate Towers in Canterbury.

“When the girl made her complaint, she was clearly under the influence of something and Roberts was quickly arrested,” he said.

When interviewed by police, Roberts, of no fixed address, said he had met the girl about a week before and he knew she was 14 but only knew her first name. He admitted he had had sex with her before July 8.

On July 8 he had been in Canterbury with a youth. They went to the garden where he had sex while the youth was present.

After the youth left, Roberts had sex with her again, all with her consent.

Roberts said he had drunk two bottles of Stella and the girl told him she had spent £50 on some weed and claimed she had smoked her way through it.

He left her at Dane John Gardens and the next thing he knew he was arrested.

Oliver Saxby, for Roberts, said the offence was out of character. “He admitted in interview he knew her age and that she has had a string of relationships.

“He has gone through a harrowing time in custody because of the rape allegation,” said Mr Saxby.

Sentencing Roberts, Judge Anthony Webb said an aggravating feature of the case was Roberts was complicit the youth also having sex with the girl although it was not known if the youth was aware of the girl’s age.

Judge Webb said he took into account Roberts’ age and the background to the offences.

He directed the 130 days Roberts has served in custody should be subtracted from his sentence.

Roberts will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.