A MAN who sexually assaulted two teenage girls was accused of showing a “total disregard and lack of respect” for women.

Gurprett Singh, aged 31, of Francis Street, Farnworth, showed the 17-year-old girls a porn film on his mobile phone while they were in Piccadilly Gardens on July 5. After telling them they were beautiful, he started making obscene comments, touched one of them on the knee, and kissed the other on the leg.

Prosecutor Kerry Bell said Singh, in this country on a visa, had already been convicted of beating his wife in January.

Deputy District Judge John Maxwell told him “in the short time you have been here you have exhibited a total disregard and lack of respect for women. You pestered these girls, showing them a disgusting pornographic film and I get the impression from the probation report that you still think they are partly to blame”.

Singh admitted sexually touching the girls without consent and was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for 18 months, and 300 hours unpaid work.

The judge also ordered him to pay each victim £250 compensation. He was put on the sex offenders’ register for seven years and his mobile phone was confiscated and destroyed.

Bill Dowdall, defending, said Singh had been in this country from India on a work permit since 2007 and was hoping to stay permanently.

On the day he had been drinking heavily.