A MAN who had sex with a schoolgirl he had invited on a camping trip has been jailed for more than five years.

Wesley Scott’s 14-year-old victim was one of three children he took to Crompton Lodges in July, 2014.

Wayne Jackson, prosecuting at Bolton Crown Court, said Scott had permission from the girl’s mother for the overnight stay at the Farnworth beauty spot.

After pitching two tents the group went for a walk to Red Rock and then Scott gave the girl a small cup of alcohol.

“He was smiley and being nice and everything,” she later told police.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, went to sleep in the larger of the two tents, but during the night she felt someone touching her.

She fell asleep again, only to be woken again by Scott, who took her to the smaller of the two tents where they were alone.

Mr Jackson said Scott undressed the girl and himself and then had sex before using her sock to wipe himself.

“He didn’t speak to her during the course of the act and she didn’t speak to him,” he said, adding that before the girl went back to the larger tent Scott warned her not to tell anyone.

The next morning Scott, made breakfast for everyone and his pregnant wife arrived at the camp.

But as they were packing up, the girl grabbed her soiled socks and stuffed them in her pocket before secreting them under her bedroom floorboards. She did not tell anyone until several months later when she confided in a boyfriend and he persuaded her to tell her mother.

Police were called and the socks were handed over to officers.

When arrested Scott, 36, a father of two, denied having been in a tent with the girl and touching her.

When faced with forensic evidence from the sock, he claimed that it was his and had fallen out of his gym bag.

It was only on the day of his trial that Scott, of Catterick Drive, Little Lever, finally pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child.

In a statement the victim said she has suffered recurring nightmares and has even attempted suicide since the incident. She said: "I couldn’t get what happened out of my head."

Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC heard that Scott has 18 previous convictions for dishonesty and assault but non for sexual matters.

Brian McKenna, defending, said Scott’s behaviour was a breach of trust but stressed that he had not acted in a “predatory manner.” He added: “It was out of character. It is accepted by the Crown that he believed, at all times, that she was consenting. He is deeply ashamed that he allowed himself to commit this offence and is something he finds difficult to live with.”

Recorder Clarke told Scott that while he accepted the offence was out of character, the crime was aggravated because he had not used a condom, had denied any sexual contact and had caused psychological damage to his victim.

Scott was jailed for five years and four months and was placed on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was also made banning him from having any contact with girls under the age of 16, except his own children.