Harworth: 73-year-old paedohile walks free from court after sexually assaulting six-year-old

Robert Reed, of Sandrock Road, Harworth, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child under 13 at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday 22nd July.

Barrister Ian Way, prosecuting, told the court that the victim had been visiting a pub with her family and was playing outside on her new bicycle at the time of the incident on 26th August 2013.

Reed, who was smoking an e-cigarette outside the pub, asked to see the new bicycle and led the victim to the other side of the road where she sat on the curb.

It was then that Reed sat beside the victim and sexually assaulted her.

Mr Way added that when the victim pleaded with him to stop, Reed pinned down her arms and continued the assault.

It was only when the victim’s Father called out to her from inside the pub that he pulled away.

The victim’s Mother sobbed in the public gallery as the prosecution read her statement aloud to court, in which she described how her daughter had gone from a ‘happy, popular’ young girl to a recluse who suffered terrible nightmares.

On 19th September 2013, the little girl finally told her family what had occurred. They called the police and Reed was later arrested.

Defence barrister Martin Elwick said that Reed has been diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2008 and had ‘no recollection of the incident’.

He added: “There is nothing in the defendant’s history to suggest he is a sexual predator or a paedophile.”

Judge Mr Justice Stokes QC sentenced Reed to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also placed under curfew for four months and a sexual offences order that prevents him from having unsupervised contact with any female under the age of 16 for ten years.

Mr Justice Stokes said: “Your behaviour is inexcusable. The fact you are elderly does not matter, and has no impact whatsoever on my sentence.”

“The evidence shows that you have been diagnosed with vascular dementia. You have memory problems and difficulty retaining information. This will, inevitably, get worse.”

“You are suffering from a mental disorder. If that was not the case, I would have put you in prison immediately.”

“What you did is unforgivable. You have devastated this innocent little girl and her entire family, and there is no reason why they should lay eyes on you ever again.”