A 14-YEAR-old girl was indecently assaulted by a married man as she was at a Blackburn town-centre store on a work experience programme.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Asad Mahmood called the girl "sexy" several times and asked for her name before touching her.

The court was told that Mahmood thought the girl was at least 17 years old but prosecutor Neil White said it would still have been an indecent assault whether she had been 17 or 70.

Mahmood, of Hope Terrace, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to indecent assault.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £50 compensation and £200 costs. He was also put on the Sex Offender register for 12 months.

Mr White said it was accepted that the case fell at the lower end of the scale.

Clare Knight, defending, said Mahmood was a man of previous good character who felt great shame at what he had done.