A DISGRACED former police officer who worked with sex offenders has been jailed for two years after making “determined and carefully pursued attempts” to lure a 13-year-old girl into his home for sex.

Andrew Burton, 41, sent more than 750 texts to his victim using a police issue phone and exchanged sexually explicit messages with her on the internet, the crown court was told.

Andrew Smith, prosecuting, said: “He encouraged her to come to his home. He was manipulative. He told her that he loved her and tried to make her make the first move.”

Between January and May 2006 Burton and the child talked to each other using internet chat software and mobile phone text messages.

One of Burton’s messages read: “Amanda thinks you fancy me. I should be so lucky.”

The court heard that Burton encouraged the girl to come to his house, where he intended to touch her sexually.

The relationship was discovered, however, when a member of the girl’s family found logs of two sexual conversations on her computer.

Burton claimed in a police interview that the conversations were nothing more than teasing.

At the time, Burton had been working at Ecclesfield Police Station, where he was involved in monitoring sex offenders in the community. He was also the treasurer of the South Yorkshire District Police Federation.

He resigned from the force when the allegations came to light.

Judge Roger Keen said Burton had destroyed his good character and ruined his career.

“Your victim is only 13. She was immature and vulnerable and you made determined and carefully pursued attempts to get her to your home in order to touch her sexually, and indeed it led her to come to your house for that very purpose."

Brian Stork, defending, described Burton as a good police officer and said his behaviour was unquestionably and utterly out of character.

Mr Stork said Burton had been extremely depressed because his wife had an affair with a work colleague.

Burton pleaded guilty to grooming and perverting the course of justice.