Sex case witness was offered £400

A Somerset man facing charges of sexually abusing a teenage girl in his care called her from prison offering £400 to withdraw the complaint.

Andrew Caulfield, 43, pleaded guilty at Taunton Crown Court to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The former night manager at a care home for young people in Somerset was handed a nine-month suspended sentence.

Caulfield was last month found not guilty of eight charges of abusing the teenager.

A judge heard he offered a plasma TV to a colleague and £400 to the girl, which were not accepted.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police in an interview she thought Caulfield loved her.

Conditions state he must stay living at the same address for a year, and must not attempt to contact the girl for six months.