THE mum of a five-year-old girl sexually assaulted by a teenager says her ‘worst fear’ is her daughter living to remember the ordeal.

Halton Magistrates Court heard on Thursday how the 14-year-old male responsible will not be imprisoned for the attack that happened in Padgate.

The defendant, now 15, will instead be monitored by a youth offending team for 12 months. He cannot be named for legal reasons Following the verdict, the victim’s mum, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, slammed the sentence.

She said: “You want the key thrown away and for him never to get out.

“The court has thought more of him, and what is best for him.

“My daughter has been having counselling with the NSPCC and has panic attacks.

“I just hope she will forget what happened.

“My worst fear is her remembering it.”

The Warrington resident added: “I’ve always been a protective mum but now I won’t let her out of my sight even when I hang out washing.

“It makes you more vigilant because you have a stereotype of what a sex offender looks like and this wasn’t it.

“He hasn’t been punished and I have no faith in the justice system through court.”

The attack happened on July 12 last year.

The defendant was known to the victim, who is now six.

He pleaded guilty on November 11 last year to assault by penetration of a child under 13.

The defendant, wearing a purple t-shirt and blue jeans in court on Thursday, has since moved away from the town.

District Judge Wendy Lloyd said she was satisfied the offence was a ‘one off’, and that the teenager did not have ‘deviant thoughts’.

Addressing the defendant, she said: “It was a very nasty thing that you did but I know you have some understanding of that now.

“The important thing is to look to the future and how you go forward without committing offences again.

“From what I have read (in a pre-sentence report) that is very possible.

“If you don’t comply with the order, you would be back in court, in front of me, and I can make no promises of what I will do then.”

 

12 month referral order to work with youth offending team to prevent re-offending

Register details with police for 30 months

Sexual Offences Prevention Order for five years: - no unsupervised contact with victim, no entry into street where she lives, or building where she may be, no contact with children under age of 10, unless adult aged 21 or over is present.