A MAN who indecently assaulted a 13-year-old girl as she lay in bed has been jailed for nine months.

David Ronald Anderson, 31, of St John's Grove, Redcar, east Cleveland, admitted touching the girl intimately.

Deborah Sherwin, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, feigned sleep during the attack.

Miss Sherwin said the girl later told her mother and father. The police were alerted and arrested Anderson.

Katherine Dunn, for Anderson, a former soldier, said that since the offence, which was committed in November last year, his life had been hell and that he had lost his house and job.

She said: "He fully accepts that he has only himself to blame for losing everything."

Judge George Moorhouse said Anderson had made a determined effort to assault the young girl and had touched her indecently at least three times.

He jailed Anderson for nine months and said he would have to register his address with police for ten years after release.

Anderson was also barred for life from any job involving children.