by Paul Hooper

The manager of a Kent care home for vulnerable teenagers lured a girl into performing sex acts over the internet.

Warped John Ivatt - a 32-year-old father of a young child - talked the girl into posing naked as they chatted via a webcam.

Then the predatory paedophile encouraged his victim - who was 15 years old at the time and dressed in a school uniform - to carry out "humiliating and degrading acts".

Ivatt, of Hereson Road, Ramsgate, carried out his year-long relationship with the vulnerable teenager while he was the care manager of the Ethelbert Children Service's home in Cliftonville.

Terence Woods, prosecuting, told Canterbury Crown Court how he got his victim to call him 'Daddy' during their video sex sessions.

When police raided his home, they also discovered he had downloaded a variety of disgusting sex images of children being abused up to the worst level five.

Mr Woods said the girl told how she had contacted Ivatt on an internet social networking site.

"you exploited this vulnerable young teenager and got her to engage in what i regard as damaging and humiliating activity for your own sexual gratification…” – judge adele williams

"The conversation wasn’t sexual at first. She told him that she was having problems at home and he told her that he was a social worker or care worker.

"They then started looking at each other via the computer webcam and it then became sexual. He said that he wanted to have sex so she could watch but couldn’t find anyone to do it with, so he simulated sex with the Winnie The Pooh bear.

"He told her that he liked for her to call him ‘Daddy’," he added.

"He knew that she was a vulnerable young person because she told him about herself," said Mr Woods.

When police forensic experts checked Ivatt's computer, they found the manager had used a search engine to look for pictures using the terms 'under-age lolitas', 'little girls' and 'perfect girls'.

The court heard that on at least three occasions during his time at the care home, he would have attended specialist courses highlighting the risks faced by vulnerable children.

Ivatt admitted 14 charges of encouraging a child to perform a sex act and downloading illegal child sex images.

Peter Forbes, defending, said: "He is shameful and offers no excuses for his behaviour.

"His life has now collapsed as a result of this. He was suspended and then dismissed from work. His marriage has collapsed and now he has become isolated from friends and his child."

John Ivatt was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court

Judge Adele Williams jailed Ivatt for a total of 18 months and banned him from ever working with children again.

She said: "You were the manager of a children’s home, therefore you know more than most of us the way this kind of activity can affect the vulnerable.

"You exploited this vulnerable young teenager and got her to engage in what I regard as damaging and humiliating activity for your own sexual gratification.

"I accept what you later told a probation officer that you, at your own hands, have now ruined your life."

She also ordered Ivatt to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

DS David Shipley, from Kent Poice, said: "At all stages of this investigation Ivatt sought to blame others including the victim in this case, only finally accepting responsibility at the last moment.

"As someone with previous experience and training of child protection, he more than most, must be aware of the damage his behaviour causes. I am pleased that he has been brought to justice and that Kent Police Child Exploitation Investigation Team continue to identify and protect children at risk of harm."