A FARM worker has been jailed after admitting sexual activity with a child.

Dean Wilshaw was handed two-and-a-half-years after he pleaded guilty to sexually touching a girl aged under 16, and having sex with her three times. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the 30-year-old, from Market Drayton, had unprotected sex with the girl on at least one occasion. She was told not to tell anyone.

Prosecutor Edward Coke said: "All the evidence is this young girl was groomed."

Wilshaw was arrested in March last year. He accepted the girl was underage, but denied sexual activity with her. He pleaded guilty to the charges this week.

Peter McCartney, defending, said Wilshaw, of Napley Heath, parted from his wife in late 2008 and was mentally fragile at the time of the offences. He said: "He acted entirely out of character."

Judge Granville Styler said: "You knew she had a crush on you. You groomed her for your sexual gratification. You were more than twice her age."

Wilshaw was made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order and will be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years. He will serve no more than half the sentence in prison, the rest on licence.