A 33-YEAR-OLD man who had sex with a 13-year-old girl is awaiting sentence after a judge adjourned his case to hear more from medics.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Anthony Stock, was "mentally impaired" and Judge Raymond Bennett said he wanted an assessment of the defendant's mental age -- as the penalty for a "normal" man of his age who had done what Stock had would be 12 months in jail.

Stock was unconditionally bailed until January 19 and was told the court may be looking to pass a short custodial sentence.

The defendant, of Charles Street, Nelson, had earlier admitted unlawful sexual intercourse.

Rod Priestley, prosecuting, said the offence took place at at a house in Nelson. The victim first told a member of her family what had happened and Stock was arrested in April.

When he was spoken to by the police, he claimed the girl was always pestering him.

He accepted he had had sex with the schoolgirl and said she had invited him to the house where the offence took place.

Stock had previous convictions for child abduction, after locking two schoolgirls in a flat, and detaining a child without authority.

Philip Holden, defending, said Stock attended a special school and was described by medics as mentally impaired, albeit moderately. The defendant claimed the girl was willing to have sex with him and he did not think he was doing wrong. He believed she was 15. Stock said the girl had always been friendly towards him and was always touching him. Mr Holden said that, because of Stock's mental impairment, he had not set out to seduce the girl. He wasn't intentionally acting criminally when he did what he did.