A MAN who molested two schoolgirls on a street has been jailed for 180 days by Burnley magistrates.

Adam Horace Smith, 24, then living in Nelson, later moved from the area without telling the police, flouting the Sex Offenders Register.

The defendant had groped the victims, aged 11 and 13, in Colne and told them they should pack their bags and go and live with him, the court was told.

Smith was convicted of two counts of sexual assault on a girl, failing to surrender and failing to comply with the Sex Offenders' Register.

He was placed on the register for seven years.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, told the court on February 28 a woman contacted police to report a man had been touching her daughter and one of her daughter’s friends.

Mr Gaffney said Smith had said he would go out with one of them or both of them and they could “have some fun”.

One of the victims said Smith began playfighting with her and the defendant pulled down her top at the collar and touched her breasts. She had felt scared.

The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested and interviewed.

He claimed he had been playfighting and said no sexual contact or touching.

After Smith was convicted, he did not live where he should have and did not tell police where he was.

John Nuttall, defending, said Smith knew he would go to prison.

He did not accept the convictions and intended to appeal.

He said Smith had wanted to join the Army but there was no chance of that whilst the convictions still stood.

The defendant, who did have previous convictions, but nothing of a similar nature, had been carrying out voluntary work.

He had not committed any further offences since.