sofa in a "suggestive way''.

Colin Everest Gilbert, 37, caressed the girl as she slept and tried to pull her underpants down, Supreme Court heard yesterday.

Crown prosecutor Mr. Steve Harrison said the girl spent a weekend during August 1991 at Gilbert's home on Field View Lane, Pembroke.

She went to sleep on the sofa in the living room but woke to feel a touch on her behind. She tried to go to sleep again but Gilbert caressed her back in a "circular motion''.

He then pulled her underwear halfway down her buttocks, said Mr. Harrison. The girl told him to leave her alone and pushed his hand away again. But he then rubbed his hand up and down her left thigh.

She then said, in a louder voice: "Leave me alone''.

The next morning, in tears, the girl told Gilbert's wife Leander what had happened.

Leander Gilbert brought her husband into the room and told him to apologise, which he did.

She told the girl not to tell anyone else. But in September 1992, the victim revealed the incident.

Gilbert admitted indecently assaulting a girl under 14. She cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The self-employed carpenter told Police: "She was a guest of my wife. The first two nights that she was there my wife made a special effort to make sure she had all the proper sleeping attire, because we had discussed it after we had young ladies stay in the house before.

"For some particular reason she didn't have on any sleeping garments. She only had on her underwear.

"She was laid across the sofa bed in a suggestive way. I attempted to remove her underwear just to observe her.'' The couple have no children themselves, the court heard. Gilbert has no previous convictions.

His lawyer, Mr. Archie Warner, told the court: "While in no way attempting to detract from what in substance is a serious matter, I hope your Lordship will take in that in terms of the gravity and degree and actual nature of the sexual assault, it is of a relatively minor nature.'' Gilbert had never been in trouble before, Mr. Warner said. "He's a hard-working, industrious young man.'' He said a social inquiry report might help explain why this offence had "reared its head''.

And his personal view was that a psychological report would also be very helpful.

"It could be the type of matter that defendant himself is not aware of.'' Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward said such a report would determine whether Gilbert was "quite ill or wicked''.

Mr. Warner replied: "There's no evidence whatsoever that he's wicked.'' There had been nothing "vicious or overtly damaging'' about the offence.

The judge told him: "To pull down the underpants of an 11-year-old girl, there's no way around that.

"But there may be some mental problem which caused the defendant to behave in that way.

"The wife took control of the situation immediately and gave the girl certain instructions.

"It might have been because of her awareness of the problem.'' Mr. Warner agreed that both psychological and psychiatric reports would be helpful.

A social inquiry report would also reveal "convoluted'' background matters, explaining why the offence was reported and the attitude of Gilbert's wife.

An immediate jail sentence might not necessarily be appropriate, Mr. Warner added.

But the judge said this would depend on whether Gilbert was found to be wicked or ill.

The offence would have been dealt with in Magistrates' Court were it not for the time delay, the court heard.

Mr. Justice Ward ordered all three reports and extended Gilbert's bail until September 10.