A PENSIONER gave a teenage schoolgirl a love bite in his garden shed.

Clive Thomas, 69, who had never been in any trouble before, told the girl to say it had been done in school as a dare.

But the girl was overheard in school telling the truth about what Thomas had done and the police were informed.

Thomas, of Vicarage Lane in Gresford, admitted non-penetrative sexual activity with the girl aged 15 dating back to early 2017.

He was given an eight month prison sentence, suspended for two years, placed on 50 days rehabilitation and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

Judge Timothy Petts ordered him to pay £425 costs and placed him on a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He must register with the police as a sex offender for the next decade.

The judge said what he had done in giving the girl a love bite on the side of her neck was completely inappropriate.

He had given her money and told her to say it had been done by a boy in school as part of a dare game.

Mold Crown Court was told the girl had been too frightened to tell her mother

Judge Petts said Thomas had no previous convictions and there had been no further incident since the offence.

He added the pre-sentence report spoke of manipulative behaviour and distorted thinking but

suggested his risk of harm to young females could be dealt with in the community.

Judge Petts said he had a stark choice in deciding whether the interests of society were best served by an immediate prison sentence or a community order which would allow him to address the thinking he had allowed himself to develop.

“I am of the view society is better served by you behaving properly in the future with the threat of a prison sentence hanging over you and work being done by the probation service to address your future behaviour.”

The judge added he had taken into account the aggravating features which included a significant disparity in age and an element of grooming.

Barrister Jade Tufael, prosecuting, said Thomas had a shed at the bottom of the garden with a TV and music player, a table and chairs.

As the girl was leaving the shed he gave her a love bite on the left side of her neck. She was shocked.

He said it was a bit of fun and gave her a £20 note and said to tell her mother it had been part of a truth or dare game in school, which she did.

But the mother was contacted by social services alerted by her school after the girl had been overheard telling the truth about what had happened.

Arrested and interviewed, Thomas ultimately accepted he had given her a love bite.

He described it as a bit of fun but then said it was a stupid thing to do.

Laura Preston-Hayes, defending, said Thomas was a carer for his wife.

He came from a law-abiding family, was the first person in his family to have difficulties with the law and he was remorseful for bringing shame onto his family.

Thomas, Miss Preston-Hayes said, had run the family joinery business and which he handed over to his son on his retirement.

“He knows that he did a very stupid thing,” she said.

She urged the court to consider rehabilitation to assist him to address his behaviour.