A 24-year-old Devonshire man changed his plea from not guilty to guilty in Supreme Court on Monday on charges of having unlawful sex with an underage girl.

Jermain Elton Johnson of Devonshire pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex with a girl who was 13 at the time of the incident on April 4, 2002.

Following legal deliberation, Puisne Judge, Charles-Etta Simmons called the jury back to court and asked them to find Johnson guilty.

Johnson was represented by Larry Scott, while Oonagh Vaucrosson represented the Crown.

In an interview following the trial, Mr. Scott said society was responsible for Bermuda's youth becoming sexually active at a younger age.

He said television stations like BET encouraged girls to flaunt their sexuality and while Johnson would be punished for having had "consensual sex" with an underage girl, she would go unpunished.

"It's a travesty. But no, I don't want to change the law," Mr. Scott said.

What needs to change, he said, was society's lack of responsibility for its wasted youth and parents unwillingness to install morals in their children.

"Parents need to take more responsibility for their children's actions," he said.

Johnson will appear for mention on March 1 during arraignments.