A JOBLESS man indecently assaulted a 12-year-old girl after taking her to his parents' home, a court was told.

Prosecutor Ieuan Morris told Cardiff crown court that before the attack took place, Malcolm Wheeler told a friend the young girl "had something about her".

Yesterday the 23-year-old was jailed for two years after admitting a charge of indecent assault.

Wheeler, of Hill Barn View, Portskewett, had denied raping the girl, his plea was accepted and a not guilty verdict was recorded.

Judge William Gaskell had told Weaver: "A probation report indicates that you chose this child as a potential sexual partner. You took her to your parents' home, you made sure they were not there and you took her to a bedroom.

"You clearly intended to engage in a sexual act with her. This was a serious sexual assault on a 12-year-old and the law and the public require the people who behave like that with children be punished."

Mr Morris said that when Wheeler told a friend about the girl the friend told him: "She's too young, you'll end up in trouble.

"That's precisely what happened," said Mr Morris. On April 12 he took her to the house and committed the offence in a bedroom, touching her over her clothing. Mr Morris said the girl later told police that he was "absolutely infatuated" with her.

Robert Buckland, defending, produced references for Wheeler and said that by his guilty plea he had spared the girl the ordeal of giving evidence.

"There is no suggestion that he used threats or force and no evidence of long-term effects on the girl."

Mr Buckland said Wheeler had not tried to woo the girl and win her confidence. He said that Wheeler accepted that what he did was wholly wrong. "He is not a risk to the public," said Mr Buckland.

Wheeler must register as a sex offender for 10 years on his release from prison, and is also disqualified from working with children.