A SEX offender who made contact with a 10-month-old baby at a fireworks display has been locked up.

Repeat offender Jamie Cunningham, from Stevenston, was jailed for seven months this week for twice breaching an order meant to keep him away from children.

The 24-year-old, admitted to having contact with the child on Sunday November 1 - just weeks after being released from prison for a previous offence.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard how Cunningham, formerly of Irvine, spoke to two young girls at around 12pm on the day in question - one of whom had a 10-month-old baby with her in a pram - about going to a fireworks display in Stevenston that night.

Defending Cunningham, his solicitor David Simpson said: “He then attended the fireworks display that night with the same girls who brought the child in the pram.

“He now accepts that he should have left but in no way was he involved with the child.

“He was in the presence of the child for about 15 minutes but soon left.”

Cunningham previously pled guilty to breaching the order by having contact with the child at around 12pm and 10.45pm on November 1.

As per the terms of the Sexual Offences Prevention Order, Cunningham is not supposed to have any direct or indirect

contact with any child who is under the age of 16 other than inadvertent or unavoidable contact unless supervised by an adult over 21.

Mr Simpson admitted that Cunningham knew a jail sentence was likely, saying: “It’s an analoguous matter and custody will be upmost in your Ladyship’s mind.”

But the solicitor said his client would be willing to do unpaid work or adhere to a Restriction of Liberty Order.

But Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane said Cunningham had breached previous orders.

She said: “The problem with that is he has not adhered to the requirements of previous orders and this is the third time.”

But Mr Simpson told the court: “He is a young man, he could try and turn his life around.”

After a long deliberation, Sheriff McFarlane said she had no choice but to lock Cunningham up.

She said: “I have absolutely no confidence that he will comply with any order I would put in place. Considering every conviction and non compliance I have no alternative but to sentence you to another period in custody.”

He was given seven months in jail starting from Tuesday, November 24.

In August, Cunningham was jailed for six months after being caught with two mobile phones which the order prohibits.

Earlier in the year, Cunningham, who was recently residing in Hayocks Road, Stevenston, dodged a jail term for sending a string of lewd Facebook messages to two girls aged 11 and 12.