A TEACHER who admitted sex offences against a teenage girl has been jailed for four and a half years.

A judge ordered that Alister Dickson's name be placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

After hearing details of the case Mr Justice Gage told the defendant, who was appearing at Preston Crown Court: "Who knows what damage it must have done to the girl?"

Dickson, 42, of Langham Road, Blackburn, had pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent assault and three other serious sexual offences.

Matters came to light after the victim reported the abuse to her mother. The police were then informed.

When Dickson was interviewed by police, he made no reply to any of their questions. He had been a computer studies lecturer at a college in Salford.

Mr John Jackson, defending, said Dickson had given no comment interview to police because he had already admitted his guilt to his solicitor.

He fully accepted the prosecution's version of what had happened. The defendant was intelligent and had been a teacher.

"He realises that whenever he is released, when he returns to society, he will be prevented from teaching young children for the foreseeable future."

He was considered to be at low risk of re-offending.

In passing sentence, the judge said that a custodial sentence was inevitable. No other sentence was justified.