TOURIST JAILED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING 11-YEAR OLD GIRL IN CORNWALL
A man has been sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Cornwall.Joseph Butler, aged 53, was also found to have recorded footage of the abuse during his stay in Perranporth in July 2019.
Originally from the Shetland Islands and most recently residing in Wigan, Butler appeared at Truro Crown Court to receive his sentence after admitting to charges of indecent assault on a girl under 13 and making indecent images of children.
Prosecutor Jason Beal explained that Butler was on holiday in Perranporth, staying in a holiday cottage at the time.
During this holiday, Butler inappropriately touched the girl by squeezing her breast and desecrating her shorts, exposing his hand near her genitals through her clothing.
In police interviews, Butler initially denied any sexual interest in children but later admitted that he must have had such urges to commit his acts.
Police recovered a 90-second video capturing the abuse on his phone, along with several other images of children around the same age.
The images included three categorized as A (including one of a girl being raped), five as B, and eight as C.
The victim’s statement revealed ongoing physical and psychological harm, expressing her discomfort around males and how the abuse has profoundly impacted her life, often causing her tears as she relives the incident.
The defence lawyer, Martin Pearce, stated that Butler had no prior criminal record and apologised publicly for his actions.
He noted that Butler, who made full admissions and had taken steps to address his behaviour post-arrest, has tried to change since then.
Judge Robert Linford described the incident as “absolutely horrendous,” and although Butler’s mitigation was considered—including his efforts to seek help and the impact of COVID-19 in prison—only custody was deemed appropriate.
Justice was sentenced to three years in prison, and Butler was ordered to register as a sex offender permanently.
