Man abused schoolgirls met through Bebo

A man who sexually abused schoolgirls he met through a social networking website has been sentenced to home detention and community work.

Douglas Charles Segetin, 23, had met two 14-year-old girls through social networking website Bebo early last year, The Dominion Post reported.

On April 25, he picked up the first victim and drove her to an isolated spot near the Hutt River, Judge Susan Thomas told the court at the man's sentencing.

He smoked cannabis before sexually assaulting the girl.

The next day he drove her to another area where they had sex in his car.

On July 4, Segetin took the second victim to a bottle store before taking her to a secluded area at the Hutt River.

The girl was "extremely intoxicated" and the pair had sex, Judge Thomas said.

In a victim impact statement, one of the girls said she was too afraid to leave her parents' house and had turned to self-harm.

Segetin was sentenced to 12 months' home detention and 150 hours community work, and ordered to pay $4500 reparation.

He must live with his parents and was not allowed to have a computer or mobile phone that could access the internet, and was banned from associating with anyone under 15 without permission from his parole officer.

- NZPA