November 2013 Lincoln father-of-four sexually assaulted under-age girl – Jailed A Lincoln father-of-four has been jailed for three years at Lincoln Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting an under-age girl. Christopher Coward, 43, was also disqualified from working with children and will have to register as a sex offender for life. Coward of Carholme Road, Lincoln had denied four sexual offences on the same girl but was convicted after a week long trial at Lincoln Crown Court on November 22. The charges included putting his hand under the girl’s trousers, touching the top of her leg and squeezing her breasts. Coward also allowed the girl, who can not be named, to touch him in a sexual manner. Three of the incidents happened when Coward was not alone with the girl, the court heard. Coward, who spent time living in both Lincoln and Boston, denied all the charges after the girl came forward and made a complaint. But passing sentence Judge Michael Heath said the jury had rejected defence suggestions that she made up the allegations with her boyfriend. Jailing Coward for three years Judge Heath said it was obvious he had “formed a sexual interest” in the girl. Judge Heath told Coward: “The offences are so serious that I can only justify a custodial sentence.” Coward had denied three charges of sexual assault on a girl under 13 and a single charge sexual assault. Michael Cranmer-Brown, mitigating, told the court Coward had no previous convictions. “He is a single parent who has worked hard to bring up his four children,” Mr Cranmer-Brown told the court. “There was no evidence on his phone or computer that he had a predisposition for under age girls.”