A refugee from Sierra Leone who pleaded guilty to raping a 15-year-old girl he met on Facebook has avoided being sent to jail in the ACT Supreme Court.

Ibrahim Kamara, 21, has been given a suspended sentence of just over one year, with an 18-month good behaviour order after admitting to five counts, including grooming, and having sex with a minor.

The court heard that during exchanges of messages on Facebook, Kamara had repeatedly asked the girl her age, which she told him was 15.

He also asked suggestive questions, and later requested inappropriate photos.

Justice Michael Elkaim told the court the images were found by police when they searched his home.

"The telephone contained 67 images of the complainant either naked or in underwear, but all in sexual poses, and also 23 videos of the complainant again showing sexual poses," he told the court.

Eventually Kamara and the victim met at the Gungahlin market place, returning to his home where the sexual offences took place.

He was arrested days later after the victim told her father, who called police.

'There is no age of consent in my country'

During a police interview, Kamara said he did not know there was an age of consent in Australia.

Justice Elkaim read from a pre-sentence report which observed that there were "significant cultural differences between Sierra Leone and Australia".

"Mr Kamara reported in Sierra Leone 'girls have babies at 13; I didn't know I was doing anything wrong, there is no age of consent in my country'," the document read. "Nevertheless, Mr Kamara has been a resident of Australia for three years which suggests he would have some awareness of the repercussions of sexual involvement with a minor. "This is confirmed by him telling the police that he thought the complainant was 17 years of age."

Justice Elkaim agreed with the report and said: "I do not accept the offender was unaware of the relevance of the victim's age."

The court heard Kamara had a difficult childhood after his parents were murdered in violence in his homeland when he was eight.

Justice Elkaim noted since he had come to Australia Kamara had achieved his Year 12 certificate and had been working as a cleaner.

"He has tried to make a good start on his life in Australia," he said.

Kamara was 'cast out' of sporting club after offence

Justice Elkaim noted Kamara had been shunned by some in his community after the offences.

"He was a member of a sporting club with connections to residents of Sierra Leone," he said.

"When the offences became known, he was effectively cast out of the club.

"He told the author of the pre-sentence report that this distressed him and he felt extremely embarrassed and sad that his teammates had disregarded him and do not wish to be in his company."

Justice Elkaim found Kamara was a low risk for reoffending and gave him a suspended sentence.