A JUDGE has lifted an order which banned a former police support officer from Newton Abbot from contacting children after hearing that he has stayed out of trouble for a decade since leaving prison.

Daniel King, aged 35, from Newton Abbot, was jailed for 20 months in 2009 for grooming and having sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl who he met through his work with the police.

He exceeded his powers by ‘patting her down’ and later sent her texts telling her he loved her. They engaged in sexual activity after they met again and he drove her to Teignmouth.

A Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed when he was sentenced that prohibited any contact with females under 16.

King applied successfully to Exeter Crown Court to have the order lifted. A report from his offender manager said he has made excellent progress since his release from prison in 2010.

He had acknowledged his earlier offending, gone on courses to address his behaviour, and stayed out of any sort of trouble. He is no longer considered as posing a risk of reoffending.

Judge Peter Johnson lifted the order and told King: ‘I am entirely happy that under modern sentencing practice, the order would not have been indefinite. I am pleased to hear of your progress.’

In the hearing in November 2009, a different judge sitting at the same court heard how King was a police community support officer when he groomed a 13-year-old girl for sex had been jailed.

He first met her when she was 12. He was on his beat when he approached her in a street when she was with a group of friends.

He exceeded his PCSO powers by patting her down after telling her to remove her hoodie top, socks and shoes.

He also sent her texts saying he ‘found her attractive and loved her and she had a nice body’. He drove her to Teignmouth in March 2006 where he touched her inappropriately.

He resigned as a police community support officer with the Devon and Cornwall Police.