A man accused of indecently assaulting a teenage girl had a previous conviction for unlawful carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old, a court heard.

Jason Sinclair Liburd, 37, was jailed for a year for having sex with a teenager in 1989. Yesterday at Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to two further sexual offences on an underage girl – of indecently assaulting and unlawfully touching a teenager under the age of 14.

The offences took place on July 10 in Pembroke. Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: "You invited her to your house, trapped her in a room and then proceeded to touch her and warn her not to tell anybody.

"The victim began to cry. You asked her to sit on your lap, she refused, and then you squeezed her buttocks. She pulled your hands away and then you lifted up her shirt. Again she pushed your hands away and began to cry.

"Everything indicates that you preyed on this young girl."

The court heard Liburd had previous convictions for robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, threatening behaviour, breaking and entering, stealing, and obstruction.

He told the court: "I'm not proud of my record but I have never been in trouble for troubling no little children, and never will. I caused embarrassment to myself. That time I got in trouble for unlawful carnal knowledge in 1989, the girl I met was 15 but she told me she was 17. I was 18 at the time.

"I don't mess with young girls but they convicted me because they said I should have known."

Mr. Liburd said he wanted to apologise to the teenage girl he tried to touch on July 10.

"I apologise to the young victim and her family. I am very sorry again," he said.

Mr. Warner jailed him for three years plus two years' probation on condition Liburd take part in any sexual offender rehabilitation programmes available.

"I am taking into account your guilty plea and the remorse you have shown, but I must consider your previous convictions which are atrocious with regards to your general criminal behaviour, but more particularly your propensity to prey on young girls," he said.

"You have admitted to me you need some treatment. I agree with you, but you also need a substantial term of imprisonment under all the circumstances."