Kevin Sillcox 64

Description

A worker later described as a "bad man" by the three-year-old girl he sexually assaulted has been jailed. Kevin Sillcox was carrying out work at the family's home when the incident happened.

Sillcox, 63, committed the offence - exposing his penis to the girl before removing her underwear and touching her - while working in her bedroom last year. The girl and her mother had been downstairs while he was working, but a court heard that at some stage she went up to play in her room.

On Wednesday, Newport Crown Court was told that Sillcox, from the Welsh city, was found out some time later, when the girl asked if the "bad man" would be coming back. She went on to describe what he had done to her.

Sillcox, of Commercial Road, denied the offences, claiming the allegations had been "fabricated". However, he was found guilty of sexually touching a child under the age of 13 following a trial, reports Wales Online.

In victim personal statements read out to the court by prosecutor Matthew Roberts, the girl's father said: "I am reliving the incident again and felt unable to help my daughter when she was in distress... We no longer feel safe in our own home. I feel I no longer know my daughter. She is less trusting and pulls away from me."

The father described the impact of the assault as an "emotional rollercoaster" and stated he tried to take his own life and had turned to alcohol. He added: "It's awful to think this man came into my daughter's home, that was supposed to be her safe space, and did this to her."

The girl's mother said: "The actions of Sillcox have greatly affected me and my daughter's life. Since he committed this crime I have been unable to sleep at night and I'm constantly afraid it will happen again. I am no longer able to trust people as before. It's torn me to pieces, I've never felt so isolated and alone... The trauma has made me feel things I had never felt.... I cry all the time and find it hard to get my head around how he came into my home and did this to the most vulnerable person in the house, my beautiful daughter."

The mother said her daughter was "cautious, scared and worried", hides away and finds it hard to socialise, which the mother described as "heartbreaking" to see. The court heard Sillcox had four previous convictions, none of which were sexual offences. His barrister, Alex Greenwood, said the offence was "relatively short in duration" and said there was no penetration involved.

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull KC said: "The effect on (the victim) and her parents has been significant, she has seemed to have a changed personality and is no longer the child she was. You have shown no remorse and chose to plead not guilty as was your right. You said it was a concocted allegation against you. I reject that allegation by you."

Sillcox was sentenced to four years of imprisonment. He was also made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely and will be made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order at a later date.