A FORMER disc jockey who locked a schoolgirl in a house and molested her was today starting a nine- month jail term.

Craig Morrison, 36, was convicted of the offence seven-years ago but had avoided justice by moving to Spain to work, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Morrison knew the police were looking for him. Officers had left a message with his wife saying they wanted to talk to him but he ignored it, it was claimed.

He had earlier been convicted by a jury of indecently assaulting the 14-year-old victim and false imprisonment in 2000.

The defendant, who had given the victim and her friends alcohol, was also banned from working with children and will be on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told the defendant he had been found guilty on over-whelming evidence.

She said Morrison, who had been under the influence of drink at the time, had not owned up, had not shown remorse and had subjected the girl and her friends to be being branded liars and fantasists.

She added that although the defendant had conducted himself appropriately with young women since the offences seven years ago and was not a danger to the public, he had to go to custody.

Morrison, of Ferndale Street, Burnley, had previous conv-ictions and had been to prison but had no record for sex offences.

Bob Elias, defending, said Morrison still denied the girl's claims and the probation service could not assist him with any therapy. The offences were very old, he had not committed any offences since and that suggested his conduct was a one-off The defendant had settled down and become a mature individual, was working and was in a happy relationship. He was not a paedophile.

While the offences were unpleasant and unsavoury, they were not the worst. The defendant had not found it easy to live with the shame of the convictions along with the fact that he had been classed as a sex offender.

The barrister added that Morrison, who had worked in Burnley and Padiham as a DJ, had not gone on the run after the offences but had been working in Spain.

He had buried his head in the sand and did not want to face up to the allegations. He then thought the charges had "died a death" and was surprised when he got arrested.