A WOMAN who kissed an underage girl she met on Facebook has been told to sign the Sex Offender’s Register.

A court heard how it was the 14-year-old victim who initiated contact with 19-year-old Laura Louise Vickers.

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As the relationship developed Vickers invited the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons but is from the Burnley area, to a friend’s house in the town where the sexual assault happened.

Burnley Crown Court heard it was the victim’s mother who ended contact between the pair, having found out about the incident which happened between May 1 and June 2, last year.

Prosecutor Paul Brookwell said: “At the time the victim was aged 14 and the defendant was 18. It appears a mutual friendship had been developed through messages on social media from March 2016.

"Initially there were friendly, non-sexual exchanges between the two of them. Eventually this led to the two of them meeting up.

“The defendant at the time was living in Manchester. They met in Burnley. They stayed at a friend of the defendant’s house which was in Todmorden Road.

"It was agreed they would stay in the games room overnight. It appears the offence occurred during the evening or night.

“It does appear the mother of the complainant found out about what happened and disapproved. She expressed her views about the relationship, which was in its infancy, and it was ended.”

Mr Brookwell told the court how Vickers has a conviction for detaining a child from a person having lawful control in relation to a 14-year-old girl she was in a relationship with. At the time of that offence Vickers was 17.

For the latest offence Vickers, formerly of Church Street in Burnley but now of Mottram Towers in Stockport, pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual assault.

Defending, Isobel Thomas told the court her client is vulnerable and has been diagnosed as having a younger mental age.

Miss Thomas said: “She accepts she kissed the complainant. She accepts she knew the complainant was 14."

Judge Jonathan Gibson sentenced Vickers to a 12-month community order with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a requirement not to enter Burnley.

She must also sign the Sex Offender’s Register for five years and pay the statutory victim surcharge.