A GRANDFATHER who admitted persuading a young girl to take a shower with him today walked free from court.

Anthony Read admitted causing or inciting a teenage girl under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity in a shower in July last year.

The 63-year-old, from Fane Drive, Berinsfield, was given a two-year conditional discharge when he appeared at Oxford Crown Court.

Claire Fraser, defending, said: “He is a man who accepted what he did was wrong.

“He was lonely at the time, which doesn’t give him the excuse to act as he did.

“There was no element of grooming.“ Judge Christopher Compston imposed the two-year conditional discharge and ordered Read to pay £250 costs.

He also ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.

He said: “Yours is a difficult sentencing problem.

“I bear in mind the great distress that you caused the girl and no doubt her family.

“Her statement suggests that she still has not got over it.”