An Algerian migrant who sexually assaulted a terrified 16-year-old girl in an alleyway near one of Britain's busiest train stations, has avoided jail.

Sofiane Belasri, 40, approached a group of teenagers at London's Liverpool Street train station and initially offered to buy them alcohol before molesting the teen after telling her she was "beautiful".

Belasri denied the offence but was convicted earlier this year and on Monday at Southwark Crown Court he escaped prison as he was handed a two-year suspended sentence.