THE parents of a schoolboy who molested a little girl have had the compensation they were told to pay cut.

The family of the youth, now 15, had been ordered to pay his 10-year-old victim £3,600 at £150 a month, by the youth court at Hyndburn, but it was reduced on appeal to £1,000, to be paid at £50 a month.

Mr Recorder Querelle, sitting with two justices, told Burnley Crown Court when such offences were committed, there were always victims on both sides.

It would be a total slap in the face if the complainant was not given compensation.

But, he added, if the magistrates in the lower court had known the true position of the appellant's parents' finances, they would not have come to the decision they did.

The teenager, who lives in the Hyndburn area, had earlier been convicted of indecent assault and gross indecency. He was given a two-year supervision order.

Neil Standage, for the Crown, said in August 2001, the little girl was playing with a group of children, including the appellant, who was then 14.

They ended up down by a stream, throwing water bombs at each other.

The girl and the 14-year-old became separated and he put a water bomb down her trousers.

He then put his hand down her trousers, burst the balloon and committed a sex act on the child.

Mr Standage said the appellant pulled down his own trousers and got the girl to perform a sex act on him.

After the offences, the 10-year-old suffered from disturbed sleep and was not doing well at school.

Martin Hackett, for the boy, said his family was law abiding and his offending had taken them by surprise.

The incident which started off as play fighting took an unfortunate turn. There was little the boy's parents could have done to prevent him offending. Mr Hackett added the family had been put in financial difficulties.