by Paul Hooper

A girl - who had just turned 13 years old - met a man for sex sessions on Folkestone beach, a court heard.

The schoolgirl had already engaged in "highly-charged" sex talk on the social network Internet site Facebook with the 19 year old.

And when she was later interviewed by police, the teenager admitted she hadn't been a virgin at the time!

But Nicholas Culpan knew the girl's age when they agreed to meet near the harbour, Canterbury Crown Court was told.

Culpan, of Canterbury Road, Folkestone admitted two charges of engaging in sex with an underage girl and was given a suspended jail sentence.

Prosecutor Francesca Levett told how the two met "on Facebook" and after two days of chatting on the Internet they agreed to go to Folkestone.

She said the girl met Culpan at Folkestone Bus Station and after a hug and kissing they went to the beach area.

The two then stripped and had consensual sex. Later they made their way to tunnels where they were seen having sex again.

Miss Levett said that when she was questioned the girl "confirmed that although she was only a week past her 13th birthday she was not a virgin at the time".

Culpan admitted he knew she was 13 at the time and said he "fancied her" - but initially denied having sex.

David Osborne, defending, said that at the time Culpan had been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after being the victim in an accidental shooting.

"He is not a bright young man and has limited maturity and ability."

The barrister added that the girl "in her texting and on Facebook, had communicated to him in a sexually explicit way indicting she wished to engage in sexual activity when they met."

"She appears to have been a willing participant in both these sexual encounters that took place.

"He is impulsive by nature and was simply unable to resist the sexually-charged nature of the conversation that had taken place through Facebook.

"But he is a shy, remorseful and very frightened young man. He is not a predator."

Culpan was given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to attend a sex offences programme for 104 hours.

He will also be on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.