MAN WHO GROPED SCHOOLGIRL IN HER PYJAMAS TOLD TO SIGN SEX OFFENDERS' REGISTER
A MAN stripped down to his boxers and groped a schoolgirl half his age as she sat in her pyjamas playing a computer game.Lee Blythe, now aged 31, said he was drunk but admitted that he sexually assaulted the 15-year-old.
Kirklees magistrates ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next five years.
Blythe, of Longfield Road in Heckmondwike, had pleaded guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing.
The Huddersfield court was told that the incident happened on April 8 last year while Blythe was at an address in the town.
The girl was sitting alone in the lounge playing on an Xbox and wearing her pyjamas, prosecutor Alex Bozman said.
He told magistrates: “She saw Blythe come in and she thought he was wearing jeans initially but he stripped down to his boxer shorts.
He sat next to her and stared at her for three minutes which made her feel uncomfortable and asked what game she was playing.
He put his hand behind her and squeezed her bottom over her clothing.” That lasted for a couple of minutes before the girl ran upstairs and told an adult.
Blythe was thrown out of the house, police were called and the victim told them that she was unhappy about what happened.
Magistrates were told that Blythe, had no previous convictions, told police that he was very drunk and couldn’t recall exactly what happened.
His solicitor Victoria Sims said: “He doesn’t remember it but didn’t try to suggest that the complainant was lying.
“It must have been incredibly hard for a then 30-year-old man to accept something he doesn’t remember which ultimately means that he’ll be subject to the sexual offences notification requirements.
“That does demonstrate some acceptance.
It’s a momentary offence and over clothing.
As well as having to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next five years Blythe will have to comply with a two year community order.
This will include a 90 day programme aimed at addressing his sexual offending and 10 days of rehabilitation activities to explore his issues around alcohol and drug misuse.
Magistrates also ordered Blythe to pay £85 court costs and £85 victim surcharge.
Due to the nature of the offence they were asked by Mr Bozman to consider making a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
This included a ban on having unsupervised contact with a child aged under 16, undertaking any employment involving children and participating in any activities or groups attended by them.
But magistrates told Blythe that they believed his signing of the sexual offenders’ register was sufficient.
