A MAN who sexually abused three young girls in East Lancashire has been jailed for a total of six years and eight months.

Preston Crown Court heard that Christopher Charnock carried out his offending over a four-and-a-half year period.

His conduct mainly involved him touching the girls under their clothing.

The judge dealing with his case said the victims had all been of a vulnerable age.

Charnock, 43, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a total of eleven charges of sexual assault and sexual activity with a child.

Two of the girls were under ten years of age at the time.

Charnock had in the main touched them under their clothing. There had also been touching over clothing.

One of the incidents was said to have taken place at Corporation Park, Blackburn.

The court heard that when one of the victims was spoken to she burst into tears and went on to say that Charnock had been touching her.

His offending came to light in May last year.

He went on to make denials to police, or give no comment answers to officers' questions.

One of the girls was said to have been left very angry and with low self esteem as a result of her experience.

Charnock was a man of previous good character.

The defendant was described as being unable to offer any explanation as to why he committed the crimes.

Judge Michael Byrne ordered that Charnock will be on the sex offenders register for life.

He also made a sexual offences prevention order for an indefinite period, which bans him from having any unsupervised contact with children under 16 and also bars him from allowing any young people of that age from entering his home, or anywhere else he is without the permission of their parent or guardian.