A REDNAL youth who had sex with a 14-year-old girl claimed that it was consensual and he was unaware of the six-year age gap, Worcester Crown Court was told.

After corresponding on Facebook, she went to his house and they had sex in his bedroom, said Michael Conry, prosecuting. She later confessed to her mother.

Ryan Payton, now 21, of Gannow Road, Rednal, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with the girl in December last year.

He was sentenced to nine months detention suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £500 costs. He must sign on the sex offender register for 10 years and observe an 8pm-6am curfew for three months.

Mr Conry said that the girl had quickly joined in sexy talk on Facebook and claimed she was too frightened to cry out when they were in the bedroom.

But Lee Masters, mitigating, said Payton had been candid from the start although his conduct had been a shock to his family. He had thoughts about joining the Army but this was now in jeopardy because of the conviction. There was no suggestion that he had interests in young girls or that pornography had been involved.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said Payton was 20 at the time and should not have taken sexual advantage of a 14-year-old girl. He knew she was under the age of 16 and girls of that age needed protection from the courts.