A MAN convicted of sexually abusing a young girl has been jailed for 18 months.

Ian Marsden told a jury the allegations were "totally untrue". But he was convicted of two charges of indecent assault.

As well as passing the jail term, a judge at Preston Crown Court directed Marsden should be on the sex offenders list for 10 years and also subject to a sexual offences prevention order for five years.

Marsden, 38, of Cleveland Street, Colne had pleaded denied two charges of indecently assaulting a female under 14 years old.

The prosecution claimed Marsden told the girl what happened was a secret and she should not tell anyone.

But as she got older and things like sex education were talked about at school, it came to prey on her mind. Eventually she told a friend, who informed a teacher.

Marsden went on to suggest she had made up the allegations because he had refused her a favour. When the allegations were first mentioned, he spoke of having felt shock and upset and said: "I haven't done a thing."

Defence counsel John Woodward said Marsden still denied the offences.

The prison sentence will involve two years supervision when the defendant is released.

Judge Stuart Baker, said a pre-sentence report assessed the defendant as being medium risk in future.

Marsden had no previous convictions at all for sexual offending.

The judge said while all offences of sexual assault were serious, the case was not the most serious category to come before a court.