AN IRVINE sex offender who deliberately breached an order created to keep him away from children is finally behind bars.

Jamie Cunningham, of Afton Court, admitted breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order after being caught with two mobile phones on June 25.

As part of the restrictions placed on Cunningham, the 23-year-old was ordered not to possess more than one mobile phone and could only use the internet with written permission from the police.

Cunningham was caught after texting a social worker.

The Times previously told in April how Cunningham narrowly dodged a prison sentence after sending a string of lewd Facebook messages to two girls, aged 11 and 12.

Then-presiding Sheriff Brian Murphy sentenced Cunningham to three years supervision along with a number of restrictions designed to protect children from Cunningham.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard last week how Cunningham’s social worker received a text from him indicating he had retrieved his old mobile number and managed to fix it.

But the social worker knew of Cunningham’s Prevention Order and relayed the information to the police.

Cunningham, formerly of Maxwell Green, was home alone as his parents were on holiday.

Police attended his address and immediately spotted the two mobile phones - a Nokia and a Samsung Galaxy - in the living room.

Cunningham made full admissions after being detained and interviewed at Saltcoats Police Office.

He admitted buying the Galaxy phone “five or six days” earlier in the Rivergate Shopping Centre.

Cunningham had been remanded since June 26 in relation to the offence.

He returned to Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week following the production of a psychological report.

But Ms Jefferson, defending, immediately conceded the assessment was not in positive terms after highlighting a “knowledge” element to the offence.

She described this as an “undesirable situation” but insisted that Cunningham would benefit from an even greater period of supervision - despite having been sentenced to three years supervision two months before the offence.

Ms Jefferson said he had been attending his appointments and would fully comply with any regulations.

But presiding Sheriff Alistair Watson decided that a jail term was the only appropriate sentence.

He said: “I am very concerned about the safety of the public and children in particular.

“You were placed on an order designed to prevent children from deviant sexual behaviour at your hands.

“You have chosen to defy the order and deliberately breach it.

“It’s in place to protect children from you and wilful breaches are going to be dealt with very seriously indeed.” Cunningham was sentenced to six months in prison backdated to June 26.