A MAN who had sex with a 15-year-old girl has been placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.

Preston Crown Court heard that both had been drunk at the time and the girl had pestered Stephen Taylor for cigarettes, saying she would make it worth his while.

Taylor, 27, of Manston Grove, Chorley, pleaded guilty to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 16 and was also placed on community rehabilitation for two years. The court heard that they met in May last year when the defendant had left the Crown pub to get some fresh air .

She and a friend had obtained alcohol and been drinking cider outside in a church yard. Nick Courtney, prosecuting, said that according to the defendant, the girl approached and pestered him to get her more cider.

He thought she was about 17 years old.

She was also said to have pestered him for cigarettes. The girl said she would make it worth his while to do that, it was claimed and put a hand on his groin area.

She went down an alleyway and beckoned for Taylor to follow. There she performed a sex act on him and instigated brief sexual intercourse.

Afterwards the defendant left her and said she should go home and sleep off what she had drunk. In the meantime, police had been called to deal with her friend.

The girl was seen to run down Halliwell Street in an apparently distressed state, the court was told. A DNA match with Taylor led to his arrest, who had previous convictions, though none of a sexual nature.

Richard Hunt, defending, said Taylor had very much been under the influence of drink that night. He had drink problems in the past, but was a hard worker.

Judge Edward Slinger said he was satisfied that it was not a case where a prison sentence should follow.

He added "What happened that night was disgraceful by any standards". He ordered Taylor to pay £400 costs.