BARRY HART

BIRKENHEAD MAN JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT

A man named Barry Hart was convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl on two occasions.

He was heard whispering 'shh' in her ear during a second attack, which left her in tears and fearfully frozen.

The victim, still a primary school-aged child at the time, confided in her boyfriend years later after seeing Hart again.

Hart, who lives on Arkle Road in Birkenhead, maintained his innocence and claimed to have no inappropriate behavior towards other children, with some previous convictions from over 15 years ago.

Despite his defense, a jury found him guilty of sexual assault at Liverpool Crown Court.

The judge, Gary Woodhall, sentenced Hart to seven years in prison, with an additional 12 months on license.

Hart will be required to serve two-thirds of his sentence before parole eligibility, and he was also handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order, a 15-year restraining order, and is required to sign the sex offenders register for life.

The judge highlighted the impact of his actions, noting the victim's fear, nightmares, and the need for counseling, along with Hart's ongoing denial and lack of victim empathy.