A MARRIED mother who tried to seduce an aspiring young female footballer was jailed for 12 months yesterday.

Deborah Held targeted the 14-year-old, who she met while helping at matches after her marriage hit the rocks.

The 41-year-old was found out when her husband, Gary, discovered illicit texts she had sent to the youngster, and told the girl's coach.

Held was arrested and initially denied anything had happened, but later confessed she had been "besotted" with the girl. She admitted groping her on three occasions and bombarding her with suggestive texts.

Jailing her for a year yesterday, Judge John Milford told her: "These offences are so serious no sentence other than a custodial sentence can be justified."

Melinda Blackburn, prose- cuting, told Newcastle Crown Court the girl said Held had been touching her sexually over a number of months.

"She said she had responded to some of the texts but had done so because the defendant would become huffy or shout if she didn't respond," she said. "Initially, she thought they were simply jokes but then the defendant became serious."

Held, of North Meadows, Ovingham, Northumberland, admitted three charges of sexual activity with a child, on the basis there were three separate incidents.

Defence barrister Peter Scholfield said she had become "besotted" with the youngster when things got bad at home.