CHRISTOPHER NORTON FROM SWINDON AND DEVIZES SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN FRONT OF CHILDREN

In April 2016, a man named Christopher Norton was sentenced to serve time on the sex offenders’ register for a period of five years after admitting to engaging in a sexual act in front of a child under the age of 13. Norton, who was previously a resident of Swindon but had since moved to Devizes, appeared before Swindon Magistrates’ Court to face the charges.

According to court records, Norton had pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place in Swindon sometime between 2013 and 2015. The incident involved Norton approaching a woman in her home, a woman whose identity was protected for legal reasons. The court heard that Norton had walked up behind her and lifted her top, exposing her breasts in front of a child under 13 who was present in the room at the time.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger detailed the disturbing nature of the incident, stating, “When the breasts were exposed, he said to the child, you’ll have a pair of these when you’re older.” The woman, distressed by the event, told Norton to stop, citing the presence of children. His response was shockingly dismissive, as he reportedly said, “it didn’t f****** matter about the kids.”

During police interviews, Norton initially denied that the incident had occurred. However, during a subsequent court appearance on March 30, he changed his plea to guilty. The victim’s mother provided a lengthy statement to the court, describing the emotional and psychological impact on the child, who was described as confused and disturbed by the incident.

In addition to the criminal sentence, the prosecution requested that a restraining order be imposed to prevent Norton from contacting the victim or the family. The court was informed that Norton was employed full-time as a road maintenance worker and had relocated from Swindon to Devizes since the incident.

Ultimately, Norton was sentenced to a community order, which included 100 hours of unpaid work and 30 hours of rehabilitation programs. He was also issued a 12-month restraining order to protect the victim and her family. Furthermore, he was ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge, ensuring some financial restitution for the distress caused by his actions.