A 38-YEAR-OLD man who had a summer holiday affair with a 13-year-old schoolgirl has been jailed for 12 months.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was enticed into Brian Telford's clutches with promises of marriage when she got to 16, and extravagant gifts.

Telford denied having sex with the youngster, but after she gave evidence in court he admitted one charge of having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of consent.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Telford supplied her with tickets to see her favourite pop group, Steps, at Newcastle Arena and bought a tent for her and her 11-year-old brother.

John Aitken, prosecuting, handed out 20 pages of love notes exchanged by the pair.

Telford even tried to make her hatch a rape scam to cover his tracks in case she got pregnant as a result of their unprotected exploit.

Mr Aitken told the court how the youngster was put under "emotional pressure" by Telford due to the "vast difference in age and experience."

Telford faced three charges of sexual intercourse with a girl and two of indecency with a child during the summer of last year, but he was discharged from the rest after submitting his one guilty plea.

He initially told police it was the girl's mother who he was having the affair with, but later admitted that "he loved her but was prepared to wait until she was 16 for a proper relationship".

Telford, of Third Avenue, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, will be placed on the sex offenders' register for ten years.