A WIDNES man who had sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl has been jailed.

Ryan Johnson, of Eversley, Hough Green, was sentenced to three years and 10 months at Warrington Crown Court on Friday for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl and attacking a man.

The 24-year-old admitted four charges of having sexual activity with a child on July 11, 2015 - on August 30, the day his trial was due to start.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting a man outside a Widnes pub on April 9, whilst on bail for the sex charges.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was left with a fractured jaw after being punched in the face.

The man had to have a titanium plate and bone screws inserted and suffered ‘severe pain and swelling’, the court heard.

Matthew Dunford, prosecuting, said when Johnson was introduced to the girl, he was fully aware of her age.

She had only just turned 15 and it was her first sexual experience, the court heard.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, the girl said the assault has had ‘a serious affect on her life’.

The teenager has problems sleeping, suffers nightmares and regularly wakes up crying.

She is afraid to leave home and has no confidence to go out alone.

The girl believes her exam results were affected.

Counselling, she said, had helped and now that Johnson has admitted the offences, she feels she can ‘finally move on’.

Johnson has made 20 court appearances between 2007 and 2015 for crimes including battery and assault.

He served two custodial sentences for assault with intent to rob and possessing a bladed weapon.

Defending Andrew Green said: “It is sad to see someone only 24 convicted of so many offences.

“He has no previous sex offences.

“He comes from a broken and traumatic family background. He has never had a stable home.”

Sentencing Johnson, Judge Neil Flewitt said: “When you were arrested you said you believed she was 17.

“This was clearly a lie to avoid the consequences of what you had done.”

He imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered Johnson to sign the Sexual Offender Register for life and gave him a restraining order for five years.