ANTHONY SARGEANT'S SHOCKING CRIME IN ELLAND: SEXUAL ASSAULT ON FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT BRADFORD CROWN COURT

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Elland, Anthony Sargeant, aged 25, faced justice at Bradford Crown Court for the heinous sexual assault of a five-year-old girl he was entrusted to care for. The incident, which occurred last December, has raised serious concerns about trust and safety within the local community.

According to the prosecution, Stephen Wood, Sargeant and his girlfriend were tasked with babysitting the young girl during the evening hours. The child's mother had left the house, leaving the trio alone. The following morning, the girl confided in her mother that Sargeant had been 'naughty' and had touched her inappropriately. She recounted that Sargeant had woken her up and called her into the living room, where he sat beside her. At a time when other children were not present and his girlfriend had already gone home, Sargeant allegedly placed his hand inside her nightie, an act that the young girl resisted by pushing his hand away and fleeing to another room.

When Sargeant was subsequently arrested, he admitted to police that he had touched the girl but claimed he stopped when she asked him to. He also confessed that he had a desire for young girls as young as five, stating he wanted to know what it felt like. Despite having no previous convictions, Sargeant revealed to authorities that he had engaged in inappropriate contact with other underage girls during his teenage years, with the youngest being 11 years old.

The girl's mother expressed her suspicions about Sargeant's motives, suggesting that he may have had an ulterior reason for forming a friendship with her and her children. She said, “I think he may have had an ulterior motive in forming a friendship with me and the children.”

During the court proceedings, defense lawyer Sophie Drake highlighted Sargeant's difficult upbringing and his belief that he was sexually assaulted as a child. She emphasized his remorse and the need for help, describing him as honest and frank about his actions. Sargeant's psychological struggles and past experiences were presented as context for his behavior.

Judge Roger Scott sentenced Sargeant to 16 months in prison. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders register and subjected to strict restrictions, including a ban on contacting the girl, having unsupervised contact with any children under 16, allowing minors into his home without supervision, and working with under-16s. The judge made it clear that Sargeant would not be released until it was determined that he no longer posed a danger to the community.