A former university student who had under-age sex with a girl has been sentenced to two years’ youth custody.

Simon Gray was told by a judge that immature girls had to be protected from being taken advantage of by older youths and men.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Gray was 19 when he developed a relationship with the 12-year-old victim. He went on to have sexual intercourse with her on four occasions.

He had an "altercation" with another girl and she told the police about the relationship.

Gray, now 20, rang police and told an officer: "I am a paedophile. I have got to be arrested." He made a full confession.

Gray, of Church Lane, Newington, admitted sexual assault by penetration.

The court heard Gray had been helping out at schools with young pupils.

Alistair Keith, defending, said Gray left university and had to change tack in his career. He obtained work at Argos.

"I invite you to consider whether the public interest would be best served by this defendant receiving a type of therapy and help that can prevent this type of offending in the future," he told Judge Andrew Patience QC.

"He has made this error. There is little indication he will commit further offences in the future. The public may be better served by him undergoing a programme."

But the judge told Gray: "This is an extremely serious offence. Parliament has made that sort of behaviour an offence precisely because of the need to protect girls of that sort of age, immature and not yet ready to embark on a sexual relationship, even though they might think otherwise, from those like you who undoubtedly take advantage in order to satisfy their sexual desires.

"I cannot avoid sending you immediately to a custodial sentence, not only to punish you but to serve as a warning that immature young men who take advantage of immature schoolgirls do so at their peril and will receive punishment from the courts."

Judge Patience said it was to Gray’s credit that he contacted the police and made full admissions.

Gray was banned from unsupervised contact with girls under 16 and placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.