A Devonshire teenager was yesterday ordered to perform community service after he admitted having sex with a 13-year-old girl in her parents' house.

Shawn Eve, 19, of Devon Spring Road, Devonshire had pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 14.

Yesterday, Crown counsel Lesley Basden said the Eve, who was 17 at the time of the incident, and the then 13-year-old girl became acquaintances in June 1996.

After a telephone conversation, Eve made his way to the girl's home and acting on her instructions waited outside her bedroom window.

Around midnight on July 25, the girl opened the window allowing Eve to climb through.

Ms Basden said Eve joined the girl in her bed and the two eventually engaged in sexual intercourse.

On August 6, 1996, Eve returned to the girl's home and again waited outside her bedroom window as instructed.

Eve waited until 12.20 the next morning and then climbed into the girl's window, but the girl's parents came into the bedroom and caught him.

Ms Basden said the girl was taken to a doctor who confirmed that she had engaged in sexual activity.

The court also heard that Eve has a number of previous convictions for theft.

Eve's lawyer, Elizabeth Christopher, told Chief Justice Austin Ward that a prison sentence would not be in her client's best interest.

Pointing out the guilty plea and the fact that he "did not force her'', Ms Christopher suggested that community service would be appropriate.

But Mr. Justice Ward had reservations whether community service would teach Eve a lesson.

"Some of these children need to be protected from themselves,'' Mr. Justice Ward said. "We cannot have 13-year-old girls having sex.

"The way to deal with this case is that both of them should be whipped, but we cannot do that anymore. Not just one of them, but both of them. This is totally out of line.'' He added: "He has to be stopped in his tracks. He cannot do whatever he wants to in life.'' Eve apologised to the court and promised that he had learned from his mistake.