A Pembroke man is behind bars today after he admitted having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Wilbur Clyde Burt, 38, pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl aged between 14 and 16, in March 2004.

At a sentencing hearing yesterday, he was jailed for 15 months by Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons.

Prosecutor Cindy Clarke said the victim called the defendant, who invited her to his house. She later took off her school uniform and they had unprotected sex. They had sex again later in the same month, the court heard.

Victoria Pearman, mitigating for Burt, said the married father-of-four did not "run for cover" after his crime. She said the defendant thought the victim was older.

Speaking to the court, Burt said he made the "biggest mistake of my life". He added: "I'm terribly, terribly sorry this happened."

The victim's dad also attended court and said he had forgiven the defendant.

He asked the court for leniency, and admitted that at first he wanted to kill Burt, but he was now glad that the courts had dealt with the situation.

The judge said having sex with a young girl was a "serious offence".

She said the defendant's guilty plea had saved the victim the ordeal of testifying in court, but said the court was "duty bound" to send him to jail.

The court heard Burt, of Friswells Road, will be put on a sex offenders' programme and any other appropriate risk-reduction schemes.