March 2011 Man, 21, had ‘peculiar relationship in cyberspace’ with girl aged 13 A MAN has appeared in court after having a sexual relationship via phone and computer with a 13-year-old Barnstaple girl. Martin Knight, 21, was given a two-year community order, with supervision. Judge Graham Cottle told Knight at Exeter Crown Court: “The supervision will assist you in having a better understanding of how potentially damaging this behaviour is. “It frequently leads on to something very much more serious and I want an eye kept on you by an experienced supervision order.” Knight had pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity when he did not reasonably believe she was 16 or over. The offence happened in 2009 when he was 19. The court heard they sent each other sexual text messages. They met up once, with friends in Barnstaple, but nothing sexual happened. Knight also saw her once when she was with a relative. The court heard Knight was aware of the girl’s age but there was some role play between them, with her discussing cuddling but him turning to sexual topics. He encouraged her to commit a sexual act. Police were alerted by a member of the girl’s family who discovered she had been chatting to Knight. Knight has no previous criminal record. His defence counsel Stephen Dent said Knight denied grooming the girl and had pleaded with her family, by letter, for the relationship to continue. Mr Dent said: “It was a peculiar relationship. It took place almost entirely in cyberspace. It felt safe in a way they would not have felt safe in real life.” Judge Cottle said: “I’m not suggesting he is a predatory paedophile but there are some concerns in the pre-sentence report over him thinking he has not done much if anything wrong.” Knight, of King Street, Honiton, was put on the Sex Offender Register for five years.