ROSS SWEET FROM SHEPPERTON ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN MIDDLESSEX

In a highly controversial decision, Judge Michael Addison of Guildford Crown Court chose to suspend the nine-month prison sentence of Ross Sweet, a swimming instructor from Shepperton, who was convicted of sexually assaulting two eight-year-old girls. The case, which has sparked outrage among the victims' families and the wider community, centered around allegations that Sweet had engaged in inappropriate and abusive behavior during swimming lessons.

Sweet, aged 24 at the time of sentencing, was initially convicted of four charges related to the sexual abuse of two young girls. The incidents reportedly occurred during swimming demonstrations, where Sweet allegedly touched one girl 13 times on her legs and bottom, and made her perform pelvic thrusts facing him. The second girl was said to have been made to lie on a bench while Sweet placed his hands under her swimsuit. These disturbing allegations first came to light in December 2004, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial.

During the initial trial in December 2005, Sweet faced charges of seven separate attacks on four girls. However, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a retrial. It was during the retrial in August of the following year that Sweet was found guilty of four charges involving two of the girls. Despite the conviction, the judge decided to suspend the prison sentence, citing Sweet’s mental health struggles, specifically his dyslexia, and his efforts to become a swimming instructor as factors that contributed to his anxiety and distress.

Judge Addison acknowledged Sweet’s positive qualities, describing him as a “good and caring” teacher in other respects. However, this decision has been met with intense criticism from the victims’ families and members of the public. One mother, overwhelmed with emotion, burst into tears in court, while a father expressed his fury by storming out, condemning the verdict as “pathetic.” Another parent voiced their anguish, stating, “My daughter has been abused all over again but this time by the courts.”

As part of his sentence, Sweet was ordered to pay £1,000 in court costs and will be listed on the sex offenders’ register for five years. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Shepperton and has raised serious questions about the justice system’s handling of such sensitive and disturbing cases.