A FATHER has avoided jail after he touched up a teenager he had invited to his home.

Liam Ryan, aged 45, was arrested when his 15-year-old victim raised the alarm after she was sexually assaulted while she slept, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Michael Goldwater, prosecuting, said Ryan, from Dean Court, Bolton, was in the habit of inviting teenagers to his home and supplying them with alcohol.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was with a group who went to Ryan’s home on October 26 last year.

The teenagers were given a litre bottle of vodka, an alcopop and flavoured shots, the court heard yesterday.

The victim fell asleep and Ryan carried her upstairs to a spare bedroom.

All but one of the other teenagers left the home to get alcohol at another address.

Mr Goldwater said about an hour after the group left, Ryan went into the room where the girl was sleeping and undressed her, keeping her underwear on and putting her pyjamas on top.

He then massaged her shoulders and upper back and touched her inappropriately.

Mr Goldwater said: "She grabbed his hands and kept them away. He then watched at the end of the bed, fiddled with his trousers, dropped them to the floor and left the room."

Ryan, who has a previous conviction for a dishonesty-related crime, was arrested the next day.

Judge Davies, sentencing, said: “The sentencing guidelines mean I can’t impose a sentence much more than 18 months imprisonment.

"After nine months you would be released and would have received no help in custody and you’d be without the benefit of any help outside custody.

“The principle aim is to make sure you do not commit such offences again.

"The only way that can be done is if you go on an appropriate sex offenders programme and are made subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

“If there are any breaches you will go to prison, there won’t be any second chances.”

Ryan admitted one count of sexually assaulting a child on the day he was due to stand trial.

He was sentenced to a three-year community order where he will complete a sexual offenders’ programme, he will be subject to a 10-year sexual offences prevention order, his name will be placed on a list of barred persons and he must notify police of where he is living for seven years.