A GAS engineer called to a house rifled through the owner's underwear drawer and committed a sex act while the woman and her eight-year-old daughter were downstairs.

The woman, who has been left devastated by the traumatic event, noticed her underwear had been disturbed.

Bolton Crown Court heard that Daniel Johnson, 22, had a bizarre fascination with her knickers and had done it for the excitement.

He initially denied the offence but owned up when police said they would conduct forensic tests.

Johnson, of Albion Street, Radcliffe, admitted committing an act to outrage public decency at the house in Bury last October.

The case had been due to go to trial with Johnson being charged with burglary, but a deal at the last minute allowed him to plead to the sex offence.

Prosecutor David Toal said Johnson has been called to the house to fix a faulty boiler clock. When he arrived he asked if he could use the toilet and disappeared upstairs.

After 10 minutes he shouted downstairs: "I've finished", collected his tools and left the house.

Later the woman went into her bedroom and saw that her underwear drawer had been disturbed.

She called her husband at work who alerted police. Johnson denied anything had happened and, when police suggested forensic tests, he said he had gone into the bedroom to check the radiators.

He admitted performing the sex act while touching the woman's underwear.

Sara Spears, defending said he admitted he had a "bizarre fascination" with the woman's underwear. Johnson was ashamed and disgusted and wished to apologise.

Distress

He worked six days a week for the family firm, Johnson's Gas Services, Bury, and had set up home with his fiancee.

Recorder Richard Brittain said Johnson was a trusted tradesman who had gone into a woman's home and committed a vile act.

"You caused her the most terrible upset and distress and I suspect that it will live with her for a very long time."

He sentenced Johnson to a 60 hours Community Punishment Order, formerly known as community service order, and ordered him to pay £250 costs and a nominal £250 compensation to his victim.