An architect jailed for six years for having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl he met over the internet has failed in an Appeal Court fight against his sentence.

Christopher Harrison argued he provided “emotional support and stability” to his victim, but was told by top judges that he deserved every day of his jail term.

Harrison, 37, had sex with the teenager once or twice a week for three months at his then home in Newick, East Sussex.

He had arranged to meet the girl after getting her email address from social networking site Bebo.

Harrison, by then living in Kent, was arrested by police investigating another offence involving him and a second girl, aged just 11, from Durham.

Officers found an indecent image of the 11-yearold, dressed in just a thong, stored on Harrison's mobile phone, and inquiries revealed that he had “induced” her to send it to him.

Harrison told police he had “turned to his computer and the internet for solace” while depressed following the breakup of a relationship, but was jailed for six years at Lewes Crown Court on December 10 last year.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual activity with a child and one of possessing an indecent image of a child.

Yesterday Alisa-Marie Scott-Beckett, for Harrison, asked three judges at London’s Criminal Appeal Court to reduce his sentence. She argued that six years was too high a sentence for a man of previous good character who had pleaded guilty, adding that he had not used the girl or threatened her in order to obtain sex.

“However inappropriate, it was a caring relationship and each received a degree of emotional support and stability from the relationship,”

she told the judges.

But Lord Justice Burnton, dismissing his appeal, said Harrison had groomed his victims and, as an adult, had to take responsibility for his crimes.

“These were serious offences, involving full sexual intercourse, and what may be called grooming. A substantial prison sentence was inevitable.” he said.

The court yesterday also ordered that, in addition to his existing sentence, an order preventing him from working with children should also be put in place.