AN addiction to internet pornography led a teenage boy to sexually assault a young girl, a court heard.

The 16-year-old Abertillery boy, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault on a female under the age of 12, at Blackwood magistrates court.

Magistrates decided not to send him to jail as he expressed remorse and pleaded guilty early.

The charges were brought under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into force earlier this year.

David Watts, prosecuting, told the court that the incident from which the charges arose took place on February 25, when the defendant and the young girl were watching a film at his home.

Mr Watts said the defendant asked the girl if she knew about sex, and she said that she didn't.

He then removed his and her clothes and the sexual assault took place. Mr Watts told the court the defendant's mother entered the room and found him trying to have sex the girl.

He said: "She was very distressed and immediately sent him from the house."

She later called the police and her son was arrested.

Mr Watts said that in the defendant's police interview he admitted trying to force the girl to commit sex acts.

Mr Watts said: "He admitted in interview that he was addicted to pornographic material which he gets from the internet.

"He said he couldn't resist the urge to try what he had seen and said he needs help to control these urges.

"It was a cry for help as much as anything.

"He knew it was wrong."

David Lewis, defending, said his client expressed remorse for his actions.

He said: "He found it difficult to resist his urges and wanted to experiment with what he had seen."

The defendant had no previous convictions.

Magistrates decided against a custodial sentence, instead sentencing the youth to a 12-month referral order. He will have to attend meetings with the Blaenau Gwent youth offending team to change his behaviour, but will not have to register as a sex offender because there was no custodial sentence.