A GRANDFATHER who molested young girls who called at his Lancashire home has been jailed for a total of five years.

Steven Tinkner was described by a judge as a significant threat to young girls, after Preston Crown Court heard that he had had previous convictions for sex offences.

The 53 year old of Dallam Avenue, Morecambe had denied five charges of indecent assault relating to two girls while he was living near Heysham.

He was convicted on unanimous verdicts.

The girls were aged 10 and 11 at the time.

Mr Nick Kennedy, prosecuting, said the defendant was at home in the daytime, though working through nights as a lorry driver.

The two girls got to know him and would do chores in return for sweets.

Other girls would also go round to his home because he was giving sweets and sometimes cigarettes.

Initially everything seemed okay and Tinker was perfectly pleasant.

But as time went by Tinker could not keep his hands to himself.

Before the start of the trial the defendant admitted three charges of supplying cannabis to girls one of whom became the victim of his indecency.

He had encouraged the youngsters to take drags from a single cannabis joint.

In his evidence, Tinker told the jury nothing improper had happened and therefore the girls were lying.

The jury returned their unanimous verdicts following two hours of deliberations.

Afterwards, the court heard that in 1989 he received four years imprisonment for indecent assault and unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16.

Defence barrister, Mr Keith Thomas, said Tinker,s home life had been devastated by the jury,s verdicts.

Judge Stuart Baker told Tinker: "I must have regard to you as a man of mature years who presents a significant threat to young girls.

"Your conduct was clearly deliberate and it was persistent.

"You don,t show any degree of insight into or acceptance of your criminal conduct."

He directed that the defendants name be placed on the Sex Offender,s Register for an indefinite period.