A man was sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman after drinking with her and her sister.

Anthony Brocklesby, 31, of Mitre Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault by touching, witness intimidation and criminal damage.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Brocklesby began groping the woman after her sister fell asleep in the front room. He pinned the woman down on the settee and grabbed her by the neck.

"He slipped his hands into her knickers before moving them up her body, underneath her top and into her bra," said prosecutor Francis McEntee.

The woman managed to get Brocklesby off her and went to bed, but he came into the bedroom wearing no top and with his pants around his ankles. He tried to grope her again and touched her breasts.

The woman's sister, who had woken up, came into the room and asked what was going on. Brocklesby replied, "what does it look like?"

Brocklesby also broke a glass top on the cooker in the kitchen of the house. He later told the woman he couldn't remember anything.

Three days later, Brocklesby made threats to the woman and her sister, telling them, "you shouldn't have made the report." He also said, "if you don't retract you won't see your family again and you will pay."

Paul Cummings, in mitigation, said the incident was "wholly out of character" for Brocklesby and was borne out of alcohol dependency.

Brocklesby was given a five year restraining order and placed on the sex offender's register for 10 years.