A police community support officer from Lincolnshire has been jailed for 10 years for the rape of a 12 year old schoolgirl.

Michael Yardley, who was employed by Lincolnshire Police as part of a neighbourhood policing team, had a seven-month secret affair with the youngster before coming under suspicion when his shocked wife Stephanie caught them cuddling on the sofa of their home.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court that Yardley had got up early telling his wife he was going for a run but when she later went downstairs she was left stunned by she saw.

"As she was walking downstairs she saw her husband with his arm around the girl's shoulder stroking her neck. Stephanie was shocked. She stormed into the lounge and asked her husband what was going on. The defendant and the complainant separated but said nothing. Stephanie Yardley then went upstairs and had a panic attack."

Mrs Yardley raised her suspicions with his employers which sparked an investigation. The pair split soon after.

Andrew Scott, prosecuting, said both Yardley and the girl, who was by now 13, admitted having sex with each other on several occasions both at Yardley's home and in his car.

The youngster told police they had agreed between them that they would set up home together when she was 18.

Mr Scott said: "He befriended this girl and took advantage of her. Her parents trusted him and did not consider for one moment that anything untoward was happening."

Yardley had previously laughed off suggestions that the girl had a crush on him and even managed to convince her dad that nothing was wrong despite the fact that he discovered she had sent 200 text messages to him.

He took the youngster on a date to the cinema telling his wife that he had originally intended to go with the girl's dad who had cried off sick. Yardley claimed he had already bought the tickets.

When his wife quizzed him after being told the plan had always been for the 12 year old to go with Yardley he simply confessed to lying saying he did not want to upset her.

Yardley, 35, of Haconby Lane, Morton, near Bourne, admitted raping the girl on October 27 2010 when she was 12-years-old and four charges of sexual activity with a young girl between November 2010 and April this year. He was jailed for 10 years and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

Yardley quit his role as a PCSO in the Sleaford neighbourhood policing team after the offences came to light.

Recorder John Philpotts told him: "These offences are extremely grave because of her age and the difference in age between you. Her parents thought their child was safe in your care. They were mistaken.

"You used the fact that her parents trusted you to take care of her. You used that to abuse her in the most disgraceful fashion. Your behaviour was persistent and it was prolonged. This has devastated the victim's family. The long term emotional and psychological effects on the victim can only be guessed. I have no doubt they will be serious and considerable."

Alison Summers, defending, said Yardley developed a friendship with the girl after becoming unhappy in his marriage.

"He realised he shouldn't have married. He felt his life was out of control. It was against that background of personal crisis that it would appear that his judgement was lost. I can only relate his remorse and his shame."