The girl's mother read her diary
A paedophile who raped a 13-year-old girl after meeting her online was jailed today after her mother read her diary. Ontario Archives

A paedophile who raped a 13-year-old girl after meeting her online was jailed today after her mother read her diary.

James Haig, 24, was found guilty at Newcastle Crown Court of raping the girl he groomed online and finally met in 2008.

The girl, who cannot be named, kept the attack a secret for three years as she felt she was to blame for meeting the older man.

The pair met on social networking site tagged.com which markets itself as 'the social networking site for meeting new people'.

Haig began talking to the girl, who she said appeared kind and caring about problems she was having in her school life. When the couple arranged to meet, Haig took the young girl back to his father's home in Cramlington, Northumberland and raped her, despite her pleas for him to stop.

Prosecutor, Jonathan Devlin told the court that the attack had only come to light last year after the girl's mother read her diary.

"The girl's mother read her diary and there was an entry relating to this incident," he said.

She raised the subject with her daughter and she said she had been raped.

She said she didn't say anything at first in case she was blamed, having gone to meet him in the first place.'

It later emerged that Haig was convicted last year over engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old using a webcam. He was also cautioned three years ago for having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

The judge told Haig that he was a dangerous predator and he was at a high risk to offend again.

"You talked to her on the website and gained her trust and arranged to meet her," he said, "and you then seduced her and forced yourself on her.

"It's plain she will be greatly affected by this offence, probably for many years to come."