A Shrewsbury man who fathered a child with a 14-year-old girl he met on Facebook was today sentenced to 27 months in a young offenders’ institute.

The girl was 13 when Carl Perkins had sex with her in March last year, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told. The court heard Perkins, who was 19 at the time, believed the girl was 16 and he ended their relationship when he discovered the truth.

Perkins, now 20, of Meadow Farm Drive, admitted sexual activity with a child.

He was sentenced to 27 months detention, put on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made the subject of a four–year sexual offences prevention order.

Miss Siobhan Collins, prosecuting, told the court the girl first contacted Perkins on Facebook after he posted an item about the death of a dog. She said the relationship continued on Facebook and eventually became sexual.

The court was told the relationship lasted through March and April last year and Perkins had sex with her a number of times.

The hearing was told he used protection on all but one occasion and it was that one instance which led to the girl falling pregnant and giving birth when she was 14.

The hearing was told the sexual relationship between the pair was entirely consensual and the girl, who is now happily settled in foster care with her child, held no animosity towards Perkins.

Mr Michael Sherwood-Smith, for Perkins, said he and the girl formed an emotional attachment during the relationship although it was right to say the girl was vulnerable.

He added: “She has a pretty poor upbringing and her life was not going in the right direction and there had been previous relationships. Since then, unusually, the pregnancy seems to have galvanised her into appraising her life.”

He said she was back in education and had found a foster home in which she was very happy.

“She has formed a clear bond with her child,” he added.

By Simon Hardy