A MOTHER who found a man performing a sex act in front of her five-year-old daughter has described his suspended sentence as 'an injustice'.

The mum, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Warren Parker, 37, had 'destroyed her daughter's life' after he walked out of Burnley Crown Court with a 16-month suspended prison sentence.

Parker pleaded guilty to sexual activity in the presence of a child after he was found naked in her room.

A police spokesman said Parker had woken the girl up by holding her by the ribs and began licking her face to wake her up.

Once awake Parker began calling her by her mother's name and then performed the sexual act at the foot of her bed.

A police spokesman said Parker, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also given a community order, six months alcohol rehabilitation, 30 days rehabilitation, a restraining order, a sexual harm prevention order and a 10 year sex offenders notification order.

The mother, from Burnley, said Parker should have been sent to jail.

She said: "He was doing it while my child was awake.

"It's an injustice. He should have had time in jail. Why should he have been allowed to walk away from court today?

"I heard in court that it was because of it was 'out of character' and he pleaded guilty at the earliest chance and he was given credit for that.

"It's unfair because now I have been left to pick up the pieces.

"It's disgusting. That man has destroyed my daughter's life.

"He woke her up by shaking her under the ribs. He called her by my name and licked her face.

"She asked why he was in her room naked. She doesn't understand.

"I had to walk out of court today for a moment because it was getting too much. I was so upset and angry."