A JUDGE said yesterday that he hoped a teenager learned a lesson after he was hauled into court for having sex with a drunken 13-year-old girl.

Richard Ireson, 18, faced a life sentence when he was originally arrested for rape.

Investigations by his defence team later led to the charge being reduced to under-age sex, which carries a maximum tariff of 14 years.

But Ireson walked free from court after pleading guilty - but he must register as a sex offender for the next five years.

He was also given two years' community rehabilitation by Judge John Walford, who told him: "I hope that you learned something positive from this unhappy affair."

The judge earlier said he was considering locking up Ireson.

He said: "In these days of widespread promiscuity among teenagers, and the adverse consequences, the courts have to send a message that to cavalierly have sexual intercourse with 13-year-old girls is so undesirable that a stern message has to be given, and the word has to go round."

Ian West, mitigating, said Ireson looked younger than his age, was very immature and his friends were all younger, of a similar age to the 13-year-old girl.

Mr West said Ireson and his family suffered the shock of his arrest, and the girl had consented to sex after telling him the day before she would agree, if he had a condom.

But the girl later cried rape when she arrived home drunk and was questioned about her behaviour, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Ireson, of Beresford Crescent, Thorntree, Middlesbrough, admitted causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on July 26, last year.