December 2020 Pervert that sexually abused a six-year-old girl was found living in a shed A 20-year-old man who sexually abused a six-year-old girl was found living in a shed, a court has heard. Ethan Hopkins, from Bridgend, was found by police a week after the allegations were made in December 2019. On Thursday Cardiff Crown Court heard the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told a family member that she had been sexually assaulted her on a number of occasions. The girl told how Hopkins, who was 19 at the time, pulled down her trousers and molested her vagina and asked her to touch his penis. During the hearing, Byron Broadstock, prosecuting, said Hopkins absconded when he learned of the allegations made against him but was arrested seven days later. He said: “He was located in a shed in which is seems he had been living for a week following the allegations.” Despite denying the allegations – claiming to officers he was never alone with the child and had not touched her – Hopkins was charged with two counts of sexual touching of a child under 13, and one count of causing/ inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. After pleading guilty to all offences at magistrates’ court, Judge Jeremy Jenkins sentenced the defendant to six years’ imprisonment. During the hearing, the court was told Hopkins was already serving a five year sentence for arson with intent at a young offender’s institute. He will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and was also made subject of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order.