A JUDGE has ordered a 50-year-old York man to sign the Sex Offenders' Register after he was convicted of indecently assaulting young girls.

Steven Alexander Allan had protested his innocence at York Crown Court, denying claims by two cousins that he had touched them intimately and made them touch him.

But a jury of seven men and five women unanimously found him guilty of seven charges of indecently assaulting the youngsters when they were aged five and six between 1992 and 1994.

Judge Stephen Ashurst, said he would consider any risk Allan may pose to girls in future when he sentences him in the week of November 20 at Teesside Crown Court.

"There's an inevitability the court will consider immediate custodial sentence," he said.

As part of the evidence, the court heard that Allan was convicted of indecent assaulting a girl, aged eight or nine, in 1974 after attending a York youth club in November, 1973.

David Bradshaw, prosecuting, said this showed he had "a liking for little girls" - a claim Allan denied.

Judge Ashurst told Allan: "Because of what I know about your background, it is important I have a full report from the Probation Service addressing a number of issues affecting you and the public generally."

The court heard Allan cared for his partner, who has learning difficulties, a speech impediment and heart difficulties. "As an act of mercy to you, I am going to release you on bail until I sentence you, to allow you to put your affairs in order," added the Judge.

Allan was living in a rented room in a house in Cromer Street, York, and then in Wharton Avenue at the time of some of the allegations.

He said he occasionally babysat the girls, now both 19, but claimed he was rarely alone with them, but both teenagers described being alone with Allan on a number of occasions.

One charge related to Allan, of Cromer Street, York, taking them both to a one-bedroom flat with a bed and a record player, playing a Beach Boys track, and indecently assaulting them.

Mr Bradshaw, prosecuting, suggested Allan ended his contact with the girls after the police were called when he smacked one because he "thought the game was up".

The court also heard that Allan was convicted of dishonesty offences between 1973 and 1978 at York Magistrates, and of theft in January, 1994.