A POLICE community support officer with a ‘fetish for the schoolgirl look’ has been jailed after pleading guilty to a sexual offences with a child.

Joshua Paterson, 27, who is understood to have worked in Great Sankey in Warrington, befriended his victim through social media before joining the force, while he was working as a security guard.

Paterson, of Meadow Drive in Northwich, appeared at Chester Crown Court on June 9 where the court heard he had started a relationship with a teenager from the Bolton area when he was aged 22 and the victim was 15.

After he stopped seeing her he told the victim her ‘allegations’ could damage his career in the police.

Prosecuting, Simon Parry said: “Within days of first contacting her he had arranged to pick her up and take her to a park. On that first meeting he placed his hands down her pants.

“On another occasion she travelled to his home in Winsford and stopped there for two nights – on both occasions they had sex.”

The court heard that Paterson picked the girl up from school on two occasions and even took her to a party where they had sex.

On another occasion he had sex with his victim after school in a park.

Mr Parry said: “After this they fell out and stopped meeting. As a result of the incidents the victim suffered with mental health problems, panic attacks and was put on medication for depression and self-harm.

“She sent him a text saying ‘you really messed me up.’ He said, ‘don’t be so overdramatic, I work for the police now, this allegation could damage my career.’ “She went to hospital suffering suicidal thoughts and disclosed to mental health staff there what had happened to her.”

In a victim impact statement, she said she thought she saw Paterson ‘hanging around’ near her home and added: “I was having nightmares every night. Four years on I still have trouble sleeping. I often have panic attacks in the night. It left me scared of leaving the flat.

“I’m trying my hardest not to let my mental state affect what I want to achieve in life.”

Defending, Patrick Williamson said Paterson lacked ‘emotional maturity’ and had suffered from mental health problems since the age of 12.

He said: “Throughout his young life Paterson became somewhat isolated. He describes being bullied at school and he clearly found it difficult to engage with members of the opposite sex.

“This relationship was conducted relatively openly, she attended a family birthday party.

“After the breakup he has gone on to have other relationships with age appropriate people. He has young children, one of whom he has had no contact with whatsoever.

“It’s important to note that he’s not a person who’s inherently attracted to young teenage girls.”

He added that Paterson and his family were ‘particularly proud’ that he became a PCSO but the job has ‘inevitably’ come to an end.

Mr Williamson said: “This has affected him badly.”

Judge Patrick Thompson, sentencing Paterson to four years and eight months in prison, said: “You would pick the victim up from school and it was quite clear that you knew she was under age. It’s very serious because of the effect it’s had on her.

“After you fell out your victim began to suffer panic attacks. This has had an impact on her and her ability to form relationships.

“That’s why it’s illegal to have sex with children.

“Clearly you have made attempts to put all this behind you and get yourself a future in the police, which has now gone for good.”

A spokesman from Cheshire Police confirmed Paterson worked as a PCSO in Warrington between February 2015 and May 2017, with all offences taking place before he joined the force.

Detective Chief Inspector Julie Westgate from the Cheshire Police Professional Standards department said: “I welcome the outcome of this case and I hope that the sentence handed to Paterson provides some closure for the victim.

“Paterson was suspended from his role as soon as we became aware of the allegations and appropriate safeguarding measures were put in place.

“This case demonstrates that we treat all reports of sexual offences extremely seriously, irrespective of the circumstances.

“I urge anyone who believes that they have been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report it. We have a dedicated team of specialist officers who are able to provide support to victims and witnesses throughout an investigation.”

Anyone looking to report sexual offences can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.