A MAN carried out a sex assault on a teenage girl after they shared a taxi home from a nightclub, a court was told.

Peter Hung was given 15 months jail for his crime by a judge, who said the experience must have been very distressing for his victim.

The 21-year-old, of Maria Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to indecent assault. His name will be on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

The court was told that the 15-year-old girl had gone to a party at a nightclub. She met Hung there who was extremely drunk and he was ejected from the premises.

The girl left the premises with a friend, but bumped into the defendant outside.

The three got into a taxi and the friend was the first to be dropped off, the court was told.

The girl was the next and she realised she did not have the money to pay the fare. She intended getting it from home, but Hung paid for it and got out of the vehicle.

A brief conversation occurred between the two of them. They then kissed on the street.

Hung then tried to take it further and the girl later told police: "I kept telling him to stop and leave me alone."

The defendant kept saying: "I'm just having a bit of fun" and went on to indecently assault her.

Hung was arrested in hospital. He had injuries and did not now how he got there.

Andrew Nuttall, defending, said the university student had excellent references and was a highly regarded young man.

He was extremely drunk that night and had been forthright and honest about what he did, he said.

"He realises he went too far. It was completely out of character."