A man with learning difficulties has been found guilty of one charge of engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl but was acquitted of two others.

Michael Savage, 34, of Garden Court, Burwell, had denied all three charges of engaging in sexual activity with a girl in Newmarket during 2018.

During the trial, the court heard how Savage first met the schoolgirl in a shop, and he gave her a cigarette and they started chatting.

He then gave the girl his number and the pair started communicating.

Prosecutors alleged that Savage later met the girl in a park in Newmarket and had sex with her, and that two further incidents took place.

Attempts were made by the girl's family to stop her from seeing Savage, the court previously heard.

Prosecutor Richard Potts said Savage also bought the girl an iPhone to communicate with her as her own phone was an older model.

When Savage was interviewed by police he told officers the girl told him she was 16.

He said he thought she looked about that age but denied having sex with her.

Savage said the schoolgirl had kissed him once on the cheek.

He admitted buying her an iPhone because he felt sorry that she had an older phone.

But he denied sending messages to the phone, and said his mobile phone had been stolen from his bag.

One character witness described Savage as “honest and trustworthy” and said he would “go the extra mile” to help people.

Savage’s employer, who runs a vehicle repair workshop, said Savage was hardworking and he had never seen him act disrespectfully to anyone.

A jury took six hours and 11 minutes to return verdicts on the charges, finding Savage not guilty of two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child but guilty of the third.

Judge Emma Peters granted Savage conditional bail, with an electronically monitored curfew from 9pm to 7am, and ordered him to sign the sex offenders' register in the interim.

Savage will be sentenced on September 16 at Ipswich Crown Court.