A care worker has been jailed for six years for a series of sex offences committed on a teenage girl at a children’s home.

Paul Harper, 49, of Athol Place, Faversham, was found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday of two counts of sexual activity with a child, and five counts of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

Det Con John Milham, who led the investigation, said: “Paul Harper presented himself as an upstanding member of the community but in reality he deliberately targeted a young, vulnerable and troubled person.

“I would like to pay tribute both to the victim of this crime who displayed great courage, prior to and during the trial, and also to the people who supported her.”

On his release from prison, Harper will have to sign the sex offenders' register for life and is subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for 15 years.

Sentencing, Judge Charles Macdonald, QC, said Harper had shown “no remorse” for what he had done.