A SHOP worker and his schoolgirl lover ran away to Wales and booked into a bed and breakfast guesthouse under the names Mr and Mrs Smith after her parents banned them from seeing each other.

Sacha Rene Edwards, 27, and the 14-year-old girl disappeared after she had left for school as normal on a Monday morning and were only found three days later after a widespread police hunt when her parents raised the alarm.

Edwards, who had allegedly been threatenend by the girl's father before they ran away, had his passport with him and had dyed his hair and the girl had cut her hair short.

He insisted that he thought the girl was 18 when he met her during a night out last October and officers investigating the disappearance discovered sexually explicit letters he had written to her.

Details of the runaways' disappearance three weeks ago were revealed when Edwards pleaded guilty at Blackburn magistrates court yesterday to unlawful sexual intercourse and abducting the girl from the custody of her mother.

Edwards, whose address in Blackburn cannot be revealed because of police fears for his safety, was committed on bail for sentence at Preston Crown Court after the magistrates decided that their powers of punishment, which could have led to a 12-month prison sentence, were insufficient.

Miss Sharon Amesu, prosecuting, said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lives with her parents in Blackburn. About three months ago they had been told by a family friend that their daughter was having a relationship with an older man and the daughter later admitted this when confronted.

She said the girl brought her boyfriend round to meet her parents, which met with their disapproval, and despite her promising to end the relationship she continued to see Edwards.

She said the girl admitted to her mum that after they had been going out for a few weeks she had sex with him and her mother then confronted Edwards. He agreed to stop seeing the girl but said if she still felt the same way when she was 16 things would be different. On a later occasion the mother went to Edwards' house and found the two of them drinking, the court was told.

The court was told that the girl left for school as usual on January 21 but never arrived and her disappearance prompted a major police investigation.

Edwards and the girl spoke to their parents on the phone and they were traced to a guesthouse in Cardiff where Edwards was arrested. They had booked in under the name Smith.

A letter found in his property said they would have to sneak off somewhere quiet so they could make love without interference.

Another letter of a sexual nature was found in the girl's bedroom.

Michael Singleton, defending, said the couple met in October when Edwards had been on a night out with relatives. He said she initially told him she was 18 but later said she was 16 and studying sociology at Blackburn College.

"He had no reason to doubt what was being said to him," said Mr Singleton. "The relationship developed over a period of time and it is right to say that sexual intercourse took place. In her statement to police the girl said that she was not a virgin and had previous sexual encounters."

Mr Singleton said that as soon as Edwards knew the girl was only 14 the sexual relationship finished although they continued to see each other. At one stage the girl's father made certain threats towards Edwards and he stopped seeing her.

Mr Singleton said that in mid January the girl persuaded Edwards to take her and some of her friends to the Trafford Centre in Manchester but her father found out and there was a row. "During that row a hot cup of tea was thrown over the girl by her father who also made threats against my client," said Mr Singleton. "She phoned him and told him to leave but he said he was going to stay and face the music."

The girl said she was not prepared to stay and eventually persuaded Edwards to go with her. "He soon realised how ridiculous that was," said Mr Singleton.

"He made telephone contact with her parents and with his and was seeking to negotiate terms under which she could return without living with her father. While these negotiations were going on he was arrested."

Mr Singleton said there was no suggestion that the girl had been taken against her will.