Man jailed over explicit emails

A local government officer from Cumbria who sent sexually explicit emails to a 15-year-old girl he had contacted through a chatroom has been jailed.

Christopher Noton had denied charges of sexual grooming and sexual activity with a child but was found guilty.

At Carlisle Crown Court, the 48-year-old, from Bolton-Low-Houses near Wigton, was jailed for 18 months.

He has since been dismissed from his job as data analyst in chilren's services at Cumbria County Council.

There is no evidence of the misuse of data during his employment

Cumbria County Council

Noton was also disqualified for working with children and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Cumbria County Council said Noton had been subject to enhanced Criminal Records Bureau and police checks with no issues arising.

It said in a statement: "He did have access to school data involving the educational attainment of young people but did not have access to the social care data of individual children.

"There is no evidence of the misuse of data during his employment. His work computer was checked on his arrest and no suspicious material was found.

"He was suspended from work as soon as we were advised of his arrest by Cumbria police and is no longer employed by Cumbria County Council."