A YOUTH worker who groomed and sexually exploit a 14-year-old girl has been jailed.

Adam Kay, 22, of Addison Crescent, Old Trafford, had pleaded guilty to two counts of grooming and two counts of sexual activity with a child.

On Thursday July 28, he was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to 30 months in prison, a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, a Sexual Offences notification requirement and a £120 victim surcharge.

In January 2015 the victim, a girl who was 14-years-old at the time, met Kay in Sale.

It was during this time that he began to groom her. It began with an exchange of messages over Whatsapp, in which the messages progressed to being sexual in nature.

Kay also told the victim that she was his girlfriend and requested photos of her and sent some of himself.

Kay twice went to the victim’s house, whilst her mother was out, where he engaged her in sexual activity.

The grooming was exposed when a friend told her parents and Kay was arrested on June 2.

Detective Constable Clare Wilks of GMP’s Public Protection Division said: “Kay preyed on his young victim, telling her he loved her.

“I want to commend the victim for her bravery in coming forward and giving evidence, in what has been a traumatic time for her.

“I hope this result has repaid the confidence she placed in the authorities and provides her with a sense of some justice being done when coming to terms with this horrible crime.”

Project Phoenix is a multi-agency response to CSE across the whole of Greater Manchester. The project brings together police, local authorities, NHS and third sector organisations, using their collective expertise to safeguard vulnerable young people at risk of exploitation and target those who would try to exploit them.

Visit itsnotokay.co.uk for information for children, young people, parents, carers and professionals on how to spot the signs of child sex exploitation and what to do about it.