A 64-YEAR-OLD man who went up to a woman in a pub and kissed her on the neck has been handed a curfew and put on the sexual offenders register.

David Lister will also be subject to 12 months supervision after admitting sexual touching of the woman in the Golden Lion, Settle, on September 9.

Lister become emboldened after drinking following three years of abstinence, Skipton magistrates heard on Friday.

The woman, who was on a week's holiday with her husband and their dog, had briefly chatted with Lister, who was standing at the bar with his dog, a spaniel.

She was sitting alone temporarily when Lister approached her, kissed her on her neck, the court heard.

He then refused to apologise, when asked to do so by her husband.

An off-duty police officer, who was in the pub at the time, intervened and the whole incident was recorded on the pub's CCTV cameras, the court heard.

Lister was in poor health, was separated and had a grown up son, the court heard in mitigation.

"He was in drink, it acted as an inhibitor and he became bold, he is very remorseful," said Neil Topham.

Mr Topham added that Lister had struggled with alcohol all his life, but had abstained for three years before the incident in the pub.

Magistrates told Lister, of Duke Street, that his behaviour was unacceptable. He was handed a 12-month community order with supervision and programmes to address drinking and unacceptable sexual behaviour. He will also be subjected to a 12-week curfew from 9pm to 7am and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £60.

He will be put on the sexual offenders register for five years.