A 31-year-old Kingswinford man who groomed a schoolgirl in the hope of starting a sexual relationship has avoided spending time behind bars.

The actions of Andrew Turner, of Court Crescent, left the 12-year-old girl with nightmares in which he was going to rape her, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Judge James Burbidge QC told the father of three: “You obviously had a sexual interest in this child and you were persistent and persuasive over a period of months.

“You did not succeed in having sexual activity but you were grooming her for that purpose. You were caught early in the process but what you did blighted her childhood.”

Turner admitted attempting to meet a girl under 16-years-of-age and grooming the child for sexual activity.

He was given a three year community order by the judge, with a condition he seeks treatment and assistance.

In a victim impact statement, the schoolgirl told police: “I was having nightmares in which he was going to rape me. I was scared to go to sleep.”

She said her lack of sleep affected her schoolwork, she became depressed and it made her want to stay at home instead of going out and spending time with her friends.

The judge further made him the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order to keep away from young people and to control his use of the internet.

Bernard Linnemann, prosecuting, said the grooming began with a request to one of the girl’s friends on Facebook and it developed into daily text messages.

He said Turner admitted he told the schoolgirl she was sexy and pretty, that he loved her and he would wait for her until she was 16-years-of-age.

She sent him a photograph of herself in which she was pouting as if kissing and he sent her a photograph of him in the bath from the waist up.

Mr Linnemann said the girl became very fond of Turner, adding: “It was a dilemma for a girl of 12.”

Turner then invited the girl to meet him for a hug but she refused and he was rumbled when his wife – who is standing by him – learned of his contact with the 12-year-old.

Nicholas Berry, defending, said the majority of contact between the pair was on Facebook or the telephone, adding: “He is mortified by what he has done.”

He said Turner had issues that needed to be addressed and a custodial sentence would not allow him to seek the help he needed as he “needs prolonged and sustained intervention”.