A Sunday school teacher who sexually assaulted a little girl on a plane has been sentenced to 30 months in prison at Lewes Crown Court.

Roger Bowles, 55, a member of Hailsham Christian Fellowship, had denied abusing the four-year-old child on a Britannia Airways flight from Ibiza to Gatwick Airport in July last year.

After a three-day trial Bowles was convicted by the jury of indecent assault and inciting the girl to commit an act of gross indecency.

Bowles, a sales consultant with a BMW dealer in Hailsham, was ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The court heard Bowles, of Millers Rise, Hailsham, and the child, who is not related to him, were sitting next to each other on the Boeing 767.

Two other passengers complained about his behaviour after watching his conduct with the girl.

An air stewardess who lifted up his tray found he was indecently exposed.

When the plane landed, Bowles was arrested by police.

Judge Charles Kemp told Bowles the case was a tragedy for the girl and her family and for his own family, who had stood by him.

He said: "The fact is on that aeroplane, whether because of drink or for whatever reason I know not, you effectively took advantage of that little girl. You did these acts for your own sexual gratification, regardless of the interests of that small child."

Henry Spooner, defending, said: "This is a one-off set of circumstances. Maybe drink played a part."

During the trial, Bowles, who had served an eight-month sentence in 1989 for conspiracy to supply cannabis, had strenuously denied indecently assaulting the child.