A 58-year-old man has been given a suspended prison sentence after he was found to have indecently assaulted a 13-year-old girl in Hove.
Ian Sargent, of Cissbury Avenue, Peacehaven, was spared an immediate jail term when he appeared before Judge Stephen Mooney at Lewes Crown Court yesterday (Monday 8 February).
Sargent had denied indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault.
A jury at Hove Crown Court was told in December that the offences took place 19 years ago.
Sargent was convicted by the jury four days before Christmas at the end of a four-day trial.
He was sentenced to 15 months in prison suspended for 18 months for one of the indecent assaults.
He was given nine months in prison – to run concurrently and suspended for 18 months – for the other indecent assault.
And he was sentenced to six months in prison – also to run concurrently and suspended for 18 months – for the offence of indecency with a child.
He was ordered to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions and to register as a sex offender for 10 years
