POOLE MAN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A MAN was caught sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl after a concerned member of the public reported him to the police, a court has heard.William Evans, now aged 21 and of King John Avenue in Poole, left the girl feeling ‘broken’ after sexually assaulted her on at least two occasions.
When requested by the Echo for a custody image of Evans, Dorset Police refused to provide it.
Prosecutor, Richard Tutt, told Bournemouth Crown Court the defendant was 19-years-old at the time when he began talking to the girl on social media in 2023.
By September, the pair were meeting in person however the victim later told police she thought this would be just as friends.
When asked by officers if they were in a relationship, she said he thought they were but she did not want to.
On September 27, 2023, the girl was playing on her bicycle in Bournemouth when the defendant met her, picked her up and wrapped her legs around him.
He began touching her inappropriately before pulling her to the ground and sitting her on his lap.
She later told police that she felt uncomfortable and confused.
A member of the public witnessed the girl on Evan’s lap and reported it to the police due to concerns over their age difference.
On another occasion he sexually assaulted her and when she asked him to stop he initially did, but then started again five to 10 minutes later.
Mr Tutt said unbeknown to the girl Evans had filmed a video of himself doing a sexual act in front of her, which police later recovered from his phone.
In a victim impact statement the girl said she feels “completely broken” and suffers from flashbacks.
“I feel I will never get over this,” she said.
The victim added: “I just want to be happy.
“I don’t see how things will ever get better.” Mitigating, Nick Robinson, said Evans is a young man who lacks emotional maturity.
He said character references for the defendant describe his usual ‘kind and considerate behaviour’.
Judge Susan Evans KC said: “You engaged in behaviour she did not want and far too young to deal with physically and emotionally.” Evans pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault of a child.
He was later found guilty by jury of another count of sexual assault of a child, assault a child by penetration and engaging in sexual activity in front of a child.
Evans was jailed for four and a half years and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 12 years.
He was also handed a restraining order and will be subject to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
