Child sex case man avoids jail

A man has avoided jail after admitting having sex with a 12-year-old girl he befriended on the internet.

Michael Barrett, 20, of Greystoke Avenue, Southmead, Bristol, was given a two-year conditional discharge at the city's crown court in September.

The Attorney General (AG) said the sentence was "too lenient" and referred it to the Court of Appeal for review.

However, on Tuesday the appeal court ruled the sentencing of Barrett by Judge Michael Roach was correct.

'Willing participant'

Barrett admitted having unlawful sex with the girl at her home in Greater Manchester.

He pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex and was sentenced at a hearing in Bristol Crown Court, where he was also ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders' Register for two years.

The AG's office previously confirmed it was reviewing the sentence imposed by Judge Michael Roach, who when sentencing Barrett, said the girl had been a "willing participant".

The AG received a complaint from a child protection group called Phoenix Survivors following the original sentence of Barrett.

According to a new law introduced in May, sex with a child under 13 is classified as rape and is punishable with a life sentence.

However, because it is not retrospective the law could not be applied in Barrett's case because he committed the offence against the girl before it was introduced.

Under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 the AG has the power to refer a case to the Court of Appeal where a sentence is thought to be "unduly lenient".