A MIDDLE-AGED man who kissed and cuddled a girl under 16 has been given a six-month prison sentence.

Ian Cledwyn Williams, of Trem y Bwlch, Blaenau Ffestiniog, was handed the jail term at a sentencing hearing at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday following a three-day trial that concluded earlier this month.

The 55-year-old was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a teenage girl at his Blaenau home last year, and Friday’s hearing was told that, as Williams continued to plead his innocence, the probation service felt it could not recommend a community sentence.

Williams had embraced the teenager and kissed her down from her head to her face.

The girl told members of her family what had happened and the matter was reported to the police.

Williams has always maintained that he gave the teenager an innocent “cuddle” and that his behaviour did not amount to a sexual act.

In mitigation, Williams’ barrister Duncan Bould acknowledged that his client’s refusal to accept he had done anything wrong lessened the likelihood of him being given a community order but did ask the court to consider a suspended sentence.

His Honour Judge Philip Harris-Jenkins told Williams he had no choice but to send him to prison given the “significant disparity in age” between the 55-year-old and his victim.

He said: “You held the complainant tightly and you then kissed her a number of times down the side of her face.

“There was very short contact between you and the child victim but contact there was, inflicted entirely be you and unwanted by her.”

“You’ve brought this on yourself,” Judge Harris Jenkins told Williams as he handed him the six-month prison term.

Williams was also made subject to a sexual health prevention order for a period of seven years. He must not contact his victim and can have no unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 18 without the consent of the child’s parents.