A child sex offender has been jailed for 15 months.

Jamie James was put on a 24-month community order in February last year after he admitted having sex with an underage girl.

But the 20-year-old failed to comply with the terms of the sentence so the probation service gave up on him, and a judge on Monday sent him to prison.

James, who also uses the surname Kinchin, had to be brought before Swindon Crown Court in custody after he failed to turn up for a hearing last month.

Marcus Davey, prosecuting, told how the offence took place in April 2011 when the defendant was staying at his brother’s house.

He was sharing a spare room with a 15-year-old girl when he got into her bed and had sex with her, despite knowing she was underage.

The court heard that after admitting the offence James, formerly of Broughton Road, Trowbridge, repeatedly failed to turn up for probation appointments before losing contact with the probation service.

Stephen Ritter, defending, said that because his client had to register as a sex offender he had struggled to get accommodation and was now homeless.

Because of the change of sentence, the period for which James must register as a sex offender is now 10 years rather than five years.