A CONVICTED sex offender from Stroud breached a court order by going on two camping trips with children, a court heard.

Ashley Goodfield, 22, of The Martins in Cainscross – who has autism and attention deficit disorder - admitted contact with children under the age of 16 at Gloucester Crown Court on Friday.

He also pleaded guilty to being in possession of a device capable of accessing the Internet.

Both these actions were in breach of the conditions of a sexual harm prevention order imposed on him in September 2015.

Judge Michael Harington told Goodfield: "The breaches relate to camping trips you went on.

“One was on September 24 2016 when you were camping with children aged 14-16.

"You were seen with them in a tent but there is no suggestion you were misbehaving other than in giving them alcohol.

"On September 30 you again went camping with four children of the same age group.

"When you were arrested you said you did not have an internet device which breached the order against you but a search of your home resulted in such a device being discovered and seized."

The judge said the breaches of Goodfield's sexual harm prevention order were serious and his original offences had been very serious.

But he said he took into account that Goodfield has attention deficit disorder and autistic problems which had contributed to his behaviour.

He had decided jail was not necessary, but warned that if there are any further breaches of his order Goodfield will be imprisoned.

The judge punished him for the breach by imposing a two year jail sentence suspended for two years and ordering him to attend a sex offender programme and a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He also extended the existing sexual harm prevention order by a year.

Goodfield's original offence had been to persuade a 14 year old girl to send him photographs of herself naked and then post them on Facebook.

He was jailed for nine months after he admitted eight 'sexting' offences including inciting the girl to engage in sexual activity.