MAN JAILED FOR LEWD SEXUAL SUGGESTION TO CHILD
A 33-year-old Chippenham man who admitted making a lewd suggestion to a 12-year-old girl has been jailed for nine months.Swindon Crown Court heard that Danny Rogers, of Portway, Chippenham, was drunk when he crouched next to the terrified youngster and asked if he could carry out a perverted act on her.
The child was so scared that she and her older sister barricaded themselves into a room before telling of what had happened.
The court was told that Rogers had been spoken to by the police in the past after he made similar suggestions to the girl's sister and he was now being prosecuted for an offence under the new Sexual Offences Act 2003 which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years.
Rogers admitted inciting a child to allow herself to be touched in a sexual way and being in possession of cannabis when he was arrested.
He told police that he had consumed seven to eight pints before the offence on Saturday, July 24 last year and could remember little about it.
The court was told that as a result of the incident the schoolgirl had been left 'nervous and scared'.
Sarah Regan, prosecuting, said that a year or so ago Rogers had been spoken to by police under caution about a similar allegation.
On that occasion he said he had been taking ecstasy tablets and drinking when he made the inappropriate remarks to the victim's sister.
Alan Fuller, defending, said that at the time of the first incident it was not a criminal offence, as it is now under the new law.
He said that his client was full of remorse for what he had done and had pleaded guilty to the matter at the earliest possible opportunity.
He said: "While this is clearly a deeply unpleasant experience for this young girl, the courts have to look at offences and place them relative to one another in seriousness in order to identify the proper sentencing mechanism.
This falls short of any actual sexual assault that this court has to deal with.
A case where there was no touching; in drink this comment was made, extremely foolishly, and it was not proceeded with.
That is the beginning, middle and end of this." As a consequence of the offence he said Roger's wife has thrown him out and he had tried to commit suicide.
Since the offence he had moderated his alcohol intake and stopped using drugs completely, he said.
Jailing him Judge Tom Longbotham said "The girl concerned is still nervous, and scared.
As far as she is concerned this is not some sort of minor matter, something that is nothing in the overall scheme of things, it is very significant in the overall scheme of things." Rogers will now have to register as a sex offender.
A member of the girl's family paid tribute to the Melksham child protection unit which helped them through the ordeal, and mentioned in particular DC Tim Carnoham.
