A man assaulted two schoolchildren after inviting them to his flat, a court heard.

Clerk Appleyard punched the 12-year-old girl in the head and burned her with a cigarette while she and the boy were at the Mirfield property.

The children escaped and called police, Kirklees magistrates were told.

Appleyard, 52, was described as a loner who would befriend children by offering them alcohol and cigarettes.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of assault when he appeared at the Huddersfield court.

The incidents happened at Appleyard’s Lower Hopton flat on January 30.

The other victim, a 14-year-old boy, got to know Appleyard by meeting him down the canal towpath with a friend.

He first met him in July when jobless Appleyard gave him cigarettes.

The boy then started to go to his flat frequently on his own, where he would listen to music and smoke cigarettes.

On the date of the assaults the boy was at the address when Appleyard asked him to go and fetch the girl.

Laura McBride, prosecuting, said: “Whilst they were there the defendant started calling (the girl) a slag and wanted her to apologise for another incident.

“She had taken some of the defendant’s cigarettes and the defendant ran after her. The defendant during the course of the incident hit her to the side of her head.

“This caused her to fall to the floor and she felt dizzy.

“The defendant then hit her again while she was on the floor. He then hit her a third time and kicked her.

“The defendant grabbed her by the hood of her clothing, he had a cigarette in his hand which burned her clothing.”

He wouldn’t let the boy leave, grabbing hold of him by his clothing and then around his throat.

Ms McBride said: “(He) managed to get away and they both ran off away from the defendant’s address”.

Appleyard also dialled 999, reporting that he had punched the girl in the head a few times and didn’t mean to hurt her.

The girl’s injuries included a cut to her forehead, bruising and a lump to the back of her head.

Nigel Taylor, mitigating, said that his client had mental health issues but regretted his actions against the children.

He said that Appleyard had lost his companion, his dog, and became alcohol dependant.

Magistrates ordered Appleyard to undergo six months of alcohol treatment as part of a community order.

He must also pay £85 court costs, £60 victim surcharge and £75 compensation to the girl victim.