Footballer Frank Lampard's uncle has been revealed as a paedophile after he tried to groom a 13-year-old girl over the internet.
Paul Lamb knew the teenager's age but still urged her to engage in s*xual activity over the internet.
However, unsuspecting Lamb did not realise he was actually chatting to an undercover police officer posing as a young girl called 'Jessica'.
Lamb, 36, who is married to 61-year-old Gwen, the sister of Lampard's father Frank snr, was then arrested by police at his home in Bacup, Lancashire, and his computer was seized.
The Chelsea and England footballer, who has two young daughters, said he was disgusted by the revelations.
Burnley Crown Court heard how 'socially isolated' Lamb got a kick out of engaging in a dirty conversation with the 'child' last November.
When Lamb was told by 'Jessica' that she was only 13, he replied: 'Wow. You're young.'
He then tried to find out if she was being monitored by a parent on the internet and the two went on to have a s*xual conversation on MSN Messenger.
When questioned by police, he denied anything had happened and said he was using a chatroom which was strictly for adults.
However, when the conversation between him and 'Jessica' was revealed, he admitted three charges of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in s*xual activity.
Lamb was given 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, with two years' supervision. He was also ordered to sign the s*x offenders' register and was banned from working with children for 10 years.
He was also banned from using and device capable of accessing the internet.
Lamb, who married Gwen six years ago, said that Chelsea are his heroes, especially Lampard, and is pictured wearing his nephew's number 8 shirt on social networking site Bebo.
According to The Sun, Gwen said that her husband had met Lampard at least four times.
She also confirmed that she and her husband attended Lampard's mother Pat's funeral four years ago.
Speaking from her home, she said that Frank Snr did not know about what had happened and added that Lamb had never met Lampard's children.
She said: 'None of my family knows about it. We are a really close family and we have regular contact.'
A spokesman for Lampard said: 'Gwen is on his dad's side and they have no contact with that part of the family - and haven't for as long as Frank can recall.
'Frank has never met him. He doesn't even know his name.'
