The victim’s mum said her daughter’s mental health had spiralled as a result of the attack
Lee Wallace, of Longmoor Lane, Aintree(Image: Merseyside police)
A man sat next to a five-year-old girl on a bed and asked her for a cuddle before putting his hand down her underwear. The incident occurred at a barbecue more than 10 years ago.
It was reported by the victim, now a young adult, in June last year following disclosures to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, (CAMHS). At Liverpool Crown Court on September 10, prosecutor David Watson said: “(The victim) describes being in the defendant’s son’s bedroom, watching TV, and the defendant coming into the room and asking if he could cuddle or sit with her on the bed.
“He put his arm around her and slid it down the waistband of her trousers. The victim explained that at the time she remembered thinking that what was taking place was weird. She recalled she had frozen. The defendant didn’t say anything to her while committing the offence.
“She hadn’t told anyone afterwards because she didn’t understand what was happening was bad. When she reflected on what had happened a few years later and knew it was wrong, she told a few friends what had happened.”
The girl’s dad recalled how his daughter “became far more restrained around cuddling male relatives” following that day.
In a victim statement, the girl’s mum said: “Since this happened to my daughter, her childhood has been severely affected. She struggled in school to make friends and trust others.
“As she became older things became worse and her mental health deteriorated. I have watched my daughter struggle for years. She self-harmed. I never understood why. Why couldn’t she see what an amazing person she was?
“It was only when she told us what she was going through that we fully understood. It tore our world apart. But I’m so proud of her for speaking out.
“I have watched my little girl struggle on a daily basis and it breaks my heart but I’ll never let one person’s actions ruin her life.”
Wallace, of Longmoor Lane, Aintree, was in his 30s at the time and father to a young son.
David Woods, defending, said: “(Wallace) tells us that he was under the influence of drugs at the time he committed this offence. His memory of the events are not clear. However, he knows he committed the offence and he accepts the victim’s recollection of events is likely to be better than his.
“It was an incident of short duration, on one occasion many years ago. The defendant doesn’t try to diminish the impact it had on the victim but it’s important to consider the context.”
He added: “The defendant is remorseful as far as his behaviour is concerned. He has self-reflected on the matter and he understands if he were in the same position as the family, he would feel angry. He accepts wholly responsibility for this matter.”
Wallace, who has two previous convictions for three offences, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child under 13.
Sentencing, Judge recorder Lasker said: “I do not suggest for one moment that it lasted particularly long. But you will accept how that one incident has stayed with the victim all her life. Ultimately, when she was in therapy, these matters were described.
“I have considered with some care what the victim’s mother has to say about how her child has grown up and there’s no doubt that you cannot help but be moved by what she has to say. The defence makes the point it’s difficult to say with any certainty whether that single incident has caused all of the problems that this child has faced.”
He said he had considered the references and submissions made on Wallace’s behalf but added: “But I do wonder about society’s abhorrence about this sort of offence, short as it was, by a grown man and father ‘touching up’ a little girl of five.
“The guidelines remind me that in certain cases, the only appropriate punishment can be met by an immediate sentence if I regard it to be that sort of case, and I have to say I believe this is a case that needs to be marked with an immediate sentence of imprisonment.
“This is to mark the gravity of the offence against a young, innocent child and that, in my view, is what society would expect.” He sentenced Wallace to 12 months in prison.