A Birkenhead man who drunkenly molested a teenage girl was jailed for three years today.

Andrew Martindale, who denies that the incident occurred, was also ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the incident happened in the early hours of October 31, 2012, when Martindale took advantage of the 16-year-old girl who had fallen asleep.

She awoke to find him sexually abusing her and he then briefly pinned her down and said, "look what you have made me do." 

She managed to wriggle free and fled barefoot and in her pyjamas to a nearby relative's home for help.

The victim did not report the matter to the police but it came to the attention of social services and he was arrested in May last year, said Damian Nolan, prosecuting.

When interviewed, 54-year-old Martindale said he had no recollection of the incident because he had been drinking.

He did not give evidence during his trial but was convicted by a jury of three sexual assault offences.

The court heard he has told the probation officer preparing a report on him that she had "made the whole thing up."

Brendan Carville, prosecuting, said that Martindale, of Mackenzie Road, had never been to prison and has no convictions for sexual offences. "References show he is a normal decent human being," he added.

Judge Andrew Menary, QC, told Martindale, who uses a walking stick, that the vulnerable victim is now trying to get over the incident with counselling help.