An 18-year-old man has been jailed for a total of four years after admitting four counts of sexual activity with a child.

Tai Mitchell, of Swanspool, Peterborough, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday, February 24, and was sentenced to 28 months in prison for four counts of sexual activity with a child in Norwich and Peterborough between February 1 2019 and March 12 2020.

Mitchell, who was 17 when he committed the offences, had previously been issued with a Child Abduction Warning Notice on May 3 2019.

The notice is issued by police to individuals who do not have permission to be associated with a child, aged 16 if living in the care of their family, or 18 if in the care of the local authority.

Mitchell had admitted the offences at an earlier hearing.

He received an additional 20-month custodial sentence for other offences including abducting a child, common assault, possessing a bladed article, theft, burglary, driving while disqualified, aggravated vehicle taking and taking a vehicle without consent.

Temporary Det Sgt Michael Simpson, who led the investigation, said: "Failure to adhere to Child Abduction Warning Notices can have serious consequences for those who choose to flout the notice – it is a warning from the police that they must stay away from the child.

"The notice provides us with a way of trying to protect some of our most vulnerable children and young people when we have a genuine concern that they're being exploited. This sentence shows we will take action against those who choose to disregard this police warning preferring instead to exploit and abuse a child for their own gain.”