A man has been jailed for two and a half years for having sex with a 12-year-old girl.

A court heard the man responsible was 34 at the time of the offences.

And Chelmsford Crown Court also heard how matters came to light when an intimate letter written by the girl was found.

John Wilcox was arrested and the court heard how he made a full confession when he was quizzed by police.

He admitted two charges of unlawful sexual intercourse when he appeared in court for sentence on Monday and was jailed for a total of 30 months.

"Young girls of this age are vulnerable and have to be protected by the courts," Mr Justice Gage told Wilcox.

Apart from the jail term, Wilcox, of Victor Road, Colchester, was told he would stay on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

The court heard Wilcox got to know the girl and she was one of a number of young people who used to visit his home.

At the time of the offences last December, Wilcox was having a relationship with a woman, the court heard.

Rupert Overbury, mitigating, said Wilcox was deeply ashamed of what had happened.

"This was a friendship which should never have developed in the first place," Mr Overbury said.

"There was a breach of trust but there is no suggestion of the girl being plied with drink or drugs and there were no threats or intimidation," Mr Overbury added.

By his guilty pleas, Wilcox had saved the girl the ordeal of giving evidence in court, he said.

John Wilcox - guilty pleas.

Community's vigilante action

A community turned to anger when they feared Wilcox was targeting their children.

Residents became worried when they noticed youngsters had become visitors at the home of John Wilcox and they decided to take action.

Vigilantes threw a brick through a window at Wilcox's flat. And some days later factory worker Carl Stone, 38, took matters into his own hands.

One night he confronted Wilcox in the Grapes pub in Mersea Road and attacked him.

Mr Stone was later arrested and at Colchester Magistrates' Court admitted actual bodily harm. He was told to do 70 hours community service and ordered to pay Wilcox £250 compensation.

Despite the punishment Mr Stone today stood by his actions and said he would do the same again.

He said: "I believe things were done by the community to attract the attention of the police. Local people were angry. We do not want him back in the community."

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