A NORTHERN suburbs church youth leader who molested a 14-year-old parishioner has received a suspended jail sentence.

The then-married man, 35, had pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated indecent assault, one count of aggravated communicating with the intention of making a child amenable to sexual activity and one count of possessing child pornography.

In sentencing, District Court Judge Michael Boylan said the man had admitted kissing the girl, who he met at the church, touching her breast and sending her sexually explicit text messages between late 2011 and early 2012.

“Throughout the period of your relationship, you and she regularly sent text messages to each other” he said.

“You gave descriptions of the sexual activity which you imagined with her or which you wanted to enjoy with her.”

Judge Boylan said the girl was at an age where she needed to be protected from herself.

“As a youth leader in your church, you were in a position of trust and you should have assisted in giving her that protection - you breached that trust in what I regard as in an insidious way,” he said.

In victim impact statements that had been tendered to the court, Judge Boylan said the girl did not feel as welcome in her church group as she once did, while her parents and brother felt betrayed by the man.

“You have let down these people badly and your betrayal of them will have consequences, perhaps forever.”

He said the man’s marriage had ended shortly after he was charged and he had been going through significant personal issues when the offending took place.

Judge Boylan sentenced the man to two years’ jail with a non-parole period of 12 months.

He suspended that sentence upon the man entering a two-year, $500 good behaviour bond.