AN alcoholic sexually assaulted a teenage girl in front of two young children, a court heard.

Mark Hoyle, 48, has been jailed for 20 months after being found guilty of touching the young woman inappropriately when he was drunk at a house in Blackburn.

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During a trial at Preston Crown Court, Hoyle denied he had done anything wrong after the court heard he pulled the young woman’s top down and assaulted her.

Throughout the trial Hoyle, of Franklin Road, Blackburn, continued to protest his innocence but the jury convicted him of two counts of sexual assault.

Judge Heather Lloyd, sentencing, said: “You seem to regard everything that happened that night as a joke.

“This was not in any way a one-off sexual assault when drunk.

“I accept entirely what two other women said during the trial - that you sexually assaulted them when you were drunk.

“One of them was on her own doorstep in the presence of her child.

“It is clear you are an alcoholic and if you think this is the way to behave towards women then you are not a very good role model either.”

Since the offence Hoyle has taken steps to address his drinking and has undertaken a course of counselling, the court heard.

But Judge Lloyd said: “It is true this was not a small child or a young teen but there was an over 30 year age difference between you.

‘You could have seen a counsellor years ago and this incident would never have happened.”

Following the attack on the teenager, a relative of the girl is understood to have punched Hoyle.

In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Lloyd placed Hoyle on the sex offenders register for 10 years and barred him from working with children.

He must pay a statutory surcharge to the court.