AN IRAQI asylum seeker who had sex with a 14-year-old girl could be deported, a court heard.

Aso Mahmud, 21 of no fixed address, appeared at Newport Crown Court for breaching a previous court order.

He admitted two offences of failing to comply with notification requirements under the sex offenders act.

In October Mahmud had been given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years, for two counts of sexual activity with a child, causing her actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon.

Phillip Morris, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was allocated a room at a hotel in Newport by the council in October but didn't stay there.

"He was arrested at Newport Housing Office on November 5 and explained he had had gone to stay with friends.

"He had told probation but not the police."

John Ryan mitigating, said: "This is not a case were he has deliberately sought to avoid the police to go back to his activity, but rather he was inadvertently stupid.

"The defendant had been trying to get himself back on his feet and stayed with friends because there was little by way of food or companionship at the hostel.

"He regrets his actions as being rather introspective, he hadn't seen the bigger picture."

The case was adjourned for a date to be fixed for a pre-sentence report, and to obtain more information about a deportation notice that had been served on the defendant two weeks ago. He was remanded in custody.

When Mahmud, previously of Chepstow Road, Newport, was sentenced for his previous offences, the court heard he was an Iraqi Kurd who had come to the UK to avoid military service after he had seen his uncle murdered.