August 2017 Pervert is jailed 24 years after attack in Blackpool flat A pervert who indecently assaulted an 11-year-old girl as she sat on his knee has been jailed for four and a half years. Anthony Styles, 50, of Manan Close, Hemel Hempstead, was brought to justice more than 20 years after the vile attack at a flat in Blackpool. He had denied carrying out the act during a trial at Preston Crown Court but was found guilty by jurors. In a personal imapct statement his victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she had been psychologically affected by his actions when she visited his home in 1993. In the time since, he has been convicted of possessing indecent images of children among a collection of ‘naturist’ images, and sexually assaulting a 17-year-old woman. Styles is now in a wheelchair because of a degenerative illness similar to multiple sclerosis He will now be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, Judge Robert Altham ruled. The court heard his young victim was known to him through his partner’s family and that she would frequently visit after school. Judge Altham said: “The victim was in habit of coming back to the flats after school. “It is on one of those occasions, when she was in the defendant’s sole company in her school uniform, sitting on his knee, as the defendant watched TV. “He only ceased from this conduct when his partner was coming in, at which stage he got up. “Nothing was said at the time but she subsequently raised it with her and he made an admission of sorts. At the time he passed if off as accidental touching. “But in his trial Styles denied the events ever took place. She has described that this incident has had a significant effect on her. “There is properly stated an abuse of trust in this case. This is a case where the family trusted the care of this little girl to the defendant. He was trusted to be alone with her. “I take into account this was a one-off incident that happened fleetingly and was not referred to again. “There is no credit for a guilty plea because this man ran a trial.” He added the more recent conviction meant he could not be regarded as a man of good character. Styles will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults, and was given a sexual harm prevention order. November 2012 Community order for man who touched teen/possession of indecent images of children A wheelchair-bound man who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl was found to have more than 300 indecent images of children when the police examined his computers. Anthony Styles, 46, was sentenced to a three-year community order, which includes supervision by probation officers and he must also attend a sex offender programme. Simon Stirling, prosecuting at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, said Styles, of Manan Close, Hemel Hempstead, took advantage of the teenager when she was upset just after Christmas in 2010. He said: “The defendant sought to comfort her and put his right hand on her chest and under her bra.” He also tried to kiss her and grab her. Then on January 23 last year the same victim and her boyfriend found indecent images of children on Styles’ laptop. “She felt considerable alarm and distress and was in shock and was tearful,” said Mr Stirling. At that point the police were called and Styles was questioned about the sex assault and having the images. His computer and laptop were examined and the police found a total of 307 images. 306 were at Level 1, the least serious of five levels. The other was at Level 2. Styles appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to sexual assault and possessing indecent images of children at earlier hearings. Defence barrister Will Noble said that Styles suffered from medical problems. Judge Stephen Warner told Styles: “You assaulted the victim when she was particularly vulnerable and distressed. “The images may not be the most serious but as with all indecent images of children they involved the exploitation and abuse of young children for the gratification of people like you.” Styles will have to register as a sex offender for five years and must abide by a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which includes a ban on him working with children and looking at pornography on the internet.