abstain from alcohol after he admitted sexually assaulting his daughter.

The man -- who cannot be named for legal reasons -- admitted sexually assaulting the girl between January 1 and May 7 last year.

He denied a charge of sexual exploitation of a young person while in a position of trust by touching her vagina with his hand between those dates.

The crown offered no evidence on that charge.

Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller told the man that normally a custodial sentence would accompany a guilty plea to such a charge.

But because of the particular circumstances involved in the case -- one that defence lawyer Tyrone Chin called "unique'' in January -- the man would be allowed to walk free from the court.

He can only see his daughter while under the supervision of the girl's mother and an adult must be present when he is around any other children under the age of 16.

And the man must also continue with counselling for alcohol abuse that he has been receiving since the incidents were reported on May 6.

Mrs. Wade-Miller added: "If you fail to comply with any of these conditions, you will be brought to the court to answer for your actions.'' And again Mrs. Wade-Miller spoke directly to the Royal Gazette reporter and strongly warned against printing anything that might lead to the identification of the girl.

Mr. Chin had asked for the reminder after saying: "People in Bermuda can put two and two together. We have already seen some repercussions.'' The man apologised for his actions, blaming them on alcohol abuse and said he would continue with counselling.

He said he led an alcohol addiction support group in the past but had been drinking for two years prior to the incident.

He added: "Maybe if I had not been hot and she had told me all those things I would have gone to the hospital.'' In January, Mrs. Wade-Miller called the man's actions "diabolical'' and said he had "no right touching that child''.

She had heard the man picked his daughter up from school, took her to Ft.

Scaur, Southampton, and questioned her about the way boys behaved at school, and inserted his finger in her vagina.

Crown counsel Patrick Doherty said the girl recalled five occasions on which this happened. She finally told her aunt about the assaults on May 6.

The girl's mother, who divorced the man in 1996, said the girl adored her father and the assaults had not affected her.