Locations
Marine Parade, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33
Description
A 29-year-old man from Suffolk has been jailed for three years after sexually assaulting a lone teenage girl in a park.
Ipswich Crown Court heard Reece Mason, from Marine Parade in Lowestoft, had approached the girl and tried to chat to her.
Mason took her phone number and called and sent her messages before approaching her again later on in Kirkley Fen Park and touching her inappropriately over her clothes.
Police said it left the girl extremely traumatised and shaken.
Following police inquiries, Mason was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual touching and meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.
Mason pleaded not guilty to one sexual offence and also to the grooming offence – both these offences are to lie on file.
Following a guilty plea to the second sexual offence, the judge in court sentenced Mason to a custodial term of three years in jail and an extended period on licence of a further four years.
Det Insp Matt Adams from Lowestoft CID said: "The victim showed great courage in coming forward and I hope [the] result offers some form of closure for them.
"I am sure the incident will stay with her for a long time but truly hope the fact that Mason has paid for his actions will encourage them to remain strong and brave.
"This case shows that police will investigate reports of sexual offences thoroughly, with officers working closely with the victims of such offences to bring offenders to justice.”