A man who indecently touched a girl nearly two decades ago when he was a schoolboy has been given an eight month suspended prison sentence.

Following his arrest last year, Oliver Appleyard told police he had been drunk when he committed the offence and had been horrified as soon as he realised what he had done, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Appleyard, 32, now of Russet Grove, Norwich, admitted indecent assault between 1999 and 2000 and was given an eight month prison sentence suspended for two years with a supervision order during which his use of alcohol will be addressed. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

Andrew Oliver, representing Appleyard, said his client, who has no previous convictions, was 14 when he committed the offence.

'This was an extremely brief incident,' he said. He added that drinking had been linked to what Appleyard had done