A taxi driver who became “besotted” with a schoolgirl has been given a community order and placed on the sex offenders’ register for five years.

Mark Coleman, of Aconbury Avenue, Poundbury, Dorchester, was sentenced for grooming and two charges of sexual activity with a child at Bournemouth Crown Court.

The 30-year-old had pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a person aged under 16 and not guilty to grooming in October.

He was found guilty of the latter charge following a two-day trial last month.

The court heard that in June 2015, when Coleman was 27, he would take children to and from school in Dorchester.

The journey “allowed him a short but significant amount of time” with the 15-year-old girl at the beginning and end of the day, said Judge Jonathan Fuller. The pair became “emotionally close,” said Tom Wright, prosecuting, and would “kiss and cuddle” on the way to school.

There were five similar incidents that followed. Contact between the pair stopped when the girl changed address and no longer required a taxi.

She contacted Coleman in July and the pair met up. A text message from Coleman to the girl following the meeting said ‘I could have got in to serious trouble but I don’t care anymore. I would kiss you in town in front of everyone.’

In August 2015, contact between them stopped again when the girl got a boyfriend. She contacted Coleman in December 2015 and asked him if he would have sex with her, to which he replied "only if you truly want to." 

They arranged to meet up but the girl’s mum discovered the text messages.

When questioned by police, Coleman admitted that by June 2015 he was in love with the teenager and would "fantasise" about spending their lives together.

Timothy Shorter, defending, said Coleman “behaved like an absolute idiot."

"He would not be here if he had behaved properly,” he said.

He added: “This has been hanging over him for 18 months. In that time he has been well-behaved and getting on with his job. He is a man of extremely good character. He’s had an awful shock brought on by himself.”

Judge Fuller said the girl had a “relatively intense dependency” on Coleman, who was of previous good character. He said that had the meeting gone ahead, Coleman was “prepared to take advantage.”

He said that having observed Coleman during his trial, he appeared to be “an emotionally immature individual”. He read through “many glowing references,” one of which provided "considerable mitigation,” said the judge.

Coleman was given a three month community order, ordered to pay £500 costs and a £60 victim surcharge. He will be placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.