A 28-YEAR-OLD chef was filmed by his computer webcam having sex with a girl almost half his age, a court heard.

The girl later refused to tell social services staff about their affair, but Paul Walmesley was arrested after his sister handed police the CD-ROM footage of their bedroom romp.

Walmesley, of The Paddocks, Dover, claimed that he thought the girl was over 16 – and said she had produced a document to prove it.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard that he had a previous conviction for the same offence with another 14-year-old.

Darren Weir, prosecuting, said that in March last year the teenager, who repeatedly ran away from her foster home, was suspected of having unlawful sexual intercourse.

“However two weeks later a CD-ROM was handed in to a police station by the defendant’s sister, which showed the defendant and the girl having full and consensual sex.”

Mr Weir added that a month later, Walmesley, who was 27 at the time of the offences, was questioned by officers and admitted having sex with the girl, but claimed he thought she was 17 at the time. In January 1998, Walmesley received a police caution for having sex with another 14-year-old – and in July was arrested and charged with the same offence and was placed on probation for two years.

Tanya Robinson, defending, said: “He had only just got the computer and didn’t how to work it. He said he didn’t know how to use the webcam but the girl did.”

In jailing him for 10 months, the judge told him: “Whatever your beliefs, you took advantage of this young girl because you have a passion for having sex with young girls.”

He also ordered Walmesley to be on the sex offender’s register for 10 years.