Mark Needham appeared at Peterborough Crown Court to be sentenced on five counts, including three of sexual activity with a child.

Needham, of Rosemary Avenue, Market Deeping, had been left homeless after a relationship break-up.

The teenage daughter of someone he knew started flirting with him and "pestered" him for sex, the court heard.

Initially, he turned her down, but in August 2006, the court was told that she "propositioned" him.

The pair ended up sleeping together that evening, and their trysts continued.

Eventually, they moved on, and it was only when the girl's father discovered incriminating texts from Needham and took her to the police station that the relationship came to light.

Defending, Richard Craven said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been the instigator.

He said: "In the trial, she said: 'I pestered him for sex and I got sex.'

"Yes, she was a child and he was an adult, and he should have said no, but he didn't.

"There should be a clear distinction between this and rape.

"Initially, he didn't react.

"In August, she propositioned him. She made the first move, and sex took place."

Sentencing, judge Sean Enright said: "You knew she was 15. Plainly, it involved a breach of trust.

"Through various texts, you incited her to have sex with you.

"She initiated sexual contact."

He said there was no evidence of threats or coercion from Needham towards the under-age girl.

The judge told him: "Your culpability was lower than many offences of this kind."

Needham was sentenced to three years for each of the three charges of sexual activity with a child, to run concurrently, one year for inciting sexual activity with a child, to run consecutively, and 18 months for abduction, to run concurrently.