A Clarbeston Road man who groomed a 14-year-old girl for sex has been jailed for 18 months today (Monday).

Gary Blount, aged 39, of Lower Bletherston, had changed his pleas to guilty on the morning he was due to stand trial at Swansea crown court having initially denied all the allegations against him.

Blount admitted sexual activity with the girl by kissing her sexually and inciting her to engage in sexual activity.

Ian Wright, prosecuting, said Blount had befriended the girl and kissed her on several occasions.

He also sent her a string of text messages.

In some he told her how much he wanted to be in bed with her and others how he would like to shower with her.

Mr Wright said her mother became suspicious and checked her daughter's mobile telephone.

She was horrified, he said, to discover the messages Blount had been sending her.

Robin Rouch, the barrister representing Blount, said the grooming had not gone so far as to include Blount touching her sexually.

Judge Geraint Walters said he was in no doubt that that was because the girl's mother had found out what had been happening and had confronted him.

Mercifully, he added, that brought the offending to an end before it escalated into more serious acts.

Blount, said Judge Walters, had had the gall to claim that the girl had led him on and was in some way responsible for what had happened.

He said he wanted to make it clear that it was never the fault of a 14-year-old child.

Blount was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and must register with the police as a sex offender, both orders to run for 10 years.