A man has today been jailed for 18 months and must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in York.
Craig Ions, aged 24, of Smith Walk, Dewsbury, was charged with assaulting a girl under 13 by touching at a family barbeque in Huntington in August 2011.
Ions was lying on the sofa with the victim – who is now 13 – in the lounge of the house where the barbeque was held, when the incident occurred.
He denied the offence but was found guilty by a jury following a trial at Leeds Crown Court in July this year.
Detective Constable Tracey Lumb, of North Yorkshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable Person’s Unit, said:
Craig Ions not only subjected his victim to a disgusting sexual assault but also put her through the anguish of a Crown Court trial by not admitting his guilt.
Fortunately, a jury found him guilty and the victim has the justice that she deserves for being brave enough to tell someone what had happened to her.
Ions sentence means he now has plenty of time to reflect on his vile behaviour and how it has impacted on an innocent young girl.
I hope the victim and her family can now put this behind them and get on with their lives knowing that Ions is in prison where he belongs.
Anyone who would like to report a sexual assault can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101.
Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
