South Yorkshire child molester 'slipped hand inside girl's shirt while she brushed teeth'

The 47-year-old slipped his hand inside the girl's shirt while she was brushing her teeth and touched her breast, judge Rachael Harrison told Sheffield Crown Court, on Wednesday.

Richard Barradell, mitigating, said his client, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had no relevant previous convictions and was convicted by a jury three and a half years after he first gave his account to police.

"He has been convicted of an isolated offence," he said. "Clearly the court will want to punish, but the court will also want to ensure that something like this never happens again."

He added that a prison sentence would have an adverse impact on the defendant's son.

Judge Harrison told him: "You were part of the family and regularly visited. This was an abuse of trust.

"She felt unable to tell anyone. She was scared of what you would do.

"It's clear that your behaviour towards her had a significant impact."

She said that a prison sentence of three and a half years was appropriate "when you abuse a child in your care."

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order, banning him from contacting his victim or any female child under the age of 16, was made for ten years.

The judge added that the three-and-a-half year delay was "seemingly" down to "police failings."