A MAN who molested two little girls 11 years ago walked free from Burnley Crown Court.

Brian Stott, 27, had not repeated his behaviour since and a judge said she did not need to send him to jail.

The defendant, of Parkinson Street, Burnley, had recently been convicted by a jury of two counts of indecent assault. He had denied the allegations.

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt said Stott had been 16 when he committed the offences and there had been no hint of a repetition.

She said although the offences were obviously bad incidents and the defendant had not owned up, she was satisfied the proper punishment was work in the community.

Stott was given 180 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

Judge Lunt said she was not making a Sexual Offences Prevention Order as she was not satisfied one was necessary to protect the public from serious sexual harm from the defendant.