A 26-year-old father of five, who arranged a sex threesome with a child, has been sent to prison.

Travis Finn, of Frampton Road, Hythe, used girlfriend Sophie Heywood to set up the meeting using Facebook – but she later revealed details of the sordid rendezvous.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how he also took sick sex images of the vulnerable child during the perverted encounter.

Finn, who pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and taking the illegal photographs, was arrested last year and remanded in custody.

His lover Heywood, 21, of Shellons Street, Folkestone, who admitted two similar offences, escaped an immediate jail sentence.

Her lawyer Michell Cohen said that she had been “open to persuasion” by her lover and “in many respects had been unable to resist”.

Mr Cohen added: “Convictions, of a woman, for this kind of offence are relatively unusual.”

Charlotte O’Connor for Finn said: “He is deeply ashamed for what he did and is finding it difficult to face up to the consequences.”

Judge Heather Norton jailed Finn for a total of 54 months and gave Heywood an 18-month sentence suspended for two years.

She told them both: “The offences for which I have to sentence you, even with the experience I have dealing with sex offenders, are unusual and deeply troubling.

“Your victim is a child who needed to be protected and not blamed for what happened in any shape, way or form for what happened to her.

“You two are to blame.”

She said Finn told a “series of lies” to the probation officer preparing a report for sentencing and had tried to absolve himself of any responsibility.

But the judge said that Facebook messages which had passed between them proved they were “planned offences with a young child, including sexual images being taken.”

“The offences for which I have to sentence you, even with the experience I have dealing with sex offenders, are unusual and deeply troubling" - Judge Heather Norton

Finn was ordered to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for life and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The judge said Heywood had narrowly avoided going straight to a young offender’s institute because she is a vulnerable woman who was influenced by Finn.

“It is also clear from Facebook messages that you demonstrated almost immediate remorse for what had happened. I have agonised about whether or not to suspended the inevitable custodial sentence

“You also reported what happened – although you did minimise your own part – and as a result it came to the attention of the authorities.”

Heywood was also ordered to sign the SOA for 10 years.