A Swindon man has been sentenced for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
22-year-old Lewie Horgan touched his teenage victim during an incident at a house in August 2022.
The child ran to the bathroom to escape his clutches, where she alerted a friend to what was happening via a message on social media. Police were called to the scene.
The defendant, of Tedder Close, Pinehurst, denied a charge of engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13-15 – but was convicted at trial in October 2024.
The mother of the victim told of how her daughter has been diagnosed with depression and anorexia following the assault, and has started self-harming.
Horgan was later sentenced at Swindon Crown Court, where he escaped a prison sentence.
The pervert was handed a 36-month community order with 250 hours of unpaid work. He must also complete a sex offender programme and 20 days of rehabilitation work.
The defendant, who has a previous conviction for possession of a knife in a public place, was told to pay the victim £5,000 in compensation.
He was banned from contacting her for five years through a restraining order and was also ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.
Victims of sexual crimes have the right to lifelong anonymity. It is an imprisonable criminal offence to share any piece of information that could lead to their identification.
