A 28-YEAR-OLD man has been convicted of indecently assaulting a three-year-old girl and could be facing jail.

Robert Penman was found guilty of one count of indecent assault and also making a threat to kill, after a week-long trial at Burnley Crown Court.

He was cleared of five other indecent assault allegations and two counts of indecency with a child and also one count of indecent assault against another little girl.

The defendant, of Arthur Street, Brierfield, had denied the allegations against him.

He was bailed until May 24, for a pre-sentence report.

The indecent assault took place some years ago. The hearing was told when Penman was questioned by police last year, he “categorically denied” any sexual misconduct.

He said he had not sexually touched either of the girls and told officers they had made the allegations because of things they had heard others say.

Penman said that he tickled the three-year-old, but had not touched her indecently. Pen-man, who was said to have threatened to slit the victim’s throat after police were called, accepted that he had said unpleasant and offensive things, but denied that he had ever meant the girl to fear he would carry them out.

Judge Jonathan Gibson, who told the defendant that he would have to sign the sex offenders’ register, warned him: “Custody is going to be uppermost in my mind.”