A 26-year-old man from Lowestoft, who had sex with a 15-year-old schoolgirl when he was 21, has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Ben Wilson, of Haward Street in the town, admitted three offences of sexual activity with a child in 2019 when he appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday, February 16.

He was given a 15-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to attend a 35-day rehabilitation programme.

Wilson was also given a 40-day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to do 150-hours unpaid work. 

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register and banned from contacting the victim for three years.

Sentencing Wilson, Judge Martyn Levett said that if the sexual intercourse had taken place six months later when the victim was 16, no offence would have been committed.

He said he was "taking an exceptional course" by not passing an immediate prison sentence as there had been nearly four years between the offences being committed and Wilson being sentenced.