A 22-year-old Ashford man was found next to a teenage schoolgirl with a pair of handcuffs and a sex toy in his pockets.

Luke McLaren had been arrested after the parents of his 14-year-old victim had reported her missing to the police.

Earlier, a pal of McLaren had also called officers to report that his friend was having sex with an underage girl.

Now McLaren, of Goteley Mere, Ashford has been jailed for 14 months after admitting eight sex offences against a child in January.

Prosecutor Donna East told Canterbury Crown Court said McLaren was aware of the girl's age when they met.

"Despite that he had sexual relations with her on a number of occasions.

"The matter came to the attention of the police on January 17 when a friend of McLaren phoned them to say the two were having a sexual relationship."

But it wasn't until February 5 after the girl was reported missing by her parents that officers went to an address in Folkestone.

Ms East added: "The two were found lying together fully dressed.

"The girl was returned to her parents and McLaren was searched and in his pockets he had a pair of silver handcuffs and a small bullet style vibrator."

The prosecutor said the victim refused tell the police about what had happened but McLaren admitted having sex with her on two occasions when he claimed he had been drunk.

He was bailed by police but the two were later found together in defiance of his bail conditions and McLaren was arrested again and remanded in custody.

Judge Heather Norton told him: "You were 21 years old at the time of these offences but this was sexual activity with a child.

"However, there was no coercion, violence, threats, grooming or breach of trust but she was a child and could not in law consent to sexual activity.

"Who knows how this will play out and how this will affect her as she gets older? I am not a mind reader and I cannot guess."

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