THE father of a schoolgirl groomed for sex by an advice worker who she rang for help today insisted: "This must never be allowed to happen again."

His plea came as 21-year-old Martin Tibbett began a 15-month jail sentence for three counts of indecently assaulting his 13-year-old victim, including luring her into committing a sex act in the back row of a cinema.

Today Lancashire County Council admitted security needed to be tightened. Tibbett somehow managed to obtain his victim's mobile number and home address after getting personal details from her while working for the WhatNow? child advice telephone line, based in Accrington.

Bosses pledged to improve security, even though police national computer checks had confirmed he had no previous convictions before he was employed.

But MPs expressed concern that a young man was allowed to abuse his position of responsibility and said he should have been jailed for longer.

Tibbett will now be on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and banned from working with children.

Judge Pamela Badley told Tibbett, of Dove Lane, in Darwen, that he had abused his position of responsibility and that his punishment must serve as a warning to others that such behaviour was not acceptable.

The father of the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said he hoped lessons would be learnt from the case.

He said: "We are satisfied with the sentence which has been passed. The most important thing that can happen now is that measures are put in place to make sure something like this can never happen again.

"We appreciate the usefulness of a service like WhatNow? but parents have to be sure that no-one is put at risk as a result.

"We were very shocked when we discovered what had been going on and it has had a traumatic effect on our daughter."

Tibbett pleaded guilty at Blackburn Magistrates in May to three counts of indecent assault.

The girl, from Darwen, first contacted WhatNow? last summer for advice after her mother had been taken into hospital.

She rang several times and spoke to Tibbett and they began a relationship via text-messaging and letters, with Tibbett often leaving notes for her in a graveyard close to her school.

The messages became sexually explicit and despite discovering she was just 13, Tibbett continued the relationship.

They went to the cinema in Blackburn, where she was persuaded to commit a sex act, the court was told.

The pair also went on a trip to Darwen Tower and the girl was even shown round the WhatNow? centre by Tibbett, who introduced her to colleagues as his cousin.

Tibbett was trying to persuade her to stay the night at his house when the girl's family discovered an explicit letter in their house and alerted police, the court was told.

The court was told that Tibbett was a 'bright and intelligent young man' who suffered a 'moment of madness.'

But Judge Badley said: "You abused that position of responsibility and jeopardised the reputation of the service as a result.

"It is important that the public can have faith in a service like this and I believe your punishment should be a warning to others as well."

Today, Coun Marcus Johnstone, county cabinet member for communications, said: "He was suspended and then dismissed as soon as this case came to light.

"We have just been presented with the findings of an independent report and are considering a number of its recommendations."

But MPs blasted the sentence given to Tibbett. Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "This doesn't send out the right message.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "I am appalled at this sentence. It does not reflect what this girl has gone through and the breach of trust."

And Rossendale with Darwen's Janet Anderson added: "One thing we know about paedophiles is that 99.9 per cent of them reoffend.

"This man should be kept in prison until he is safe."