GARETH JONES FROM LUDLOW ESCAPES JAIL AFTER INDECENT ASSAULT ON 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN SHREWSBURY

In April 2004, a significant case unfolded at Shrewsbury Crown Court involving Gareth Jones, a 39-year-old resident of Ludlow. Jones was convicted by a jury of indecently assaulting a young girl aged just 10 years old during a birthday celebration held in August of the previous year. Despite the gravity of the charges, Jones was not sentenced to prison but received a community-based punishment after he publicly expressed remorse and offered a formal apology to the victim and her family.

Gareth Jones, who resides on Hucklemarsh Road in Ludlow, was advised by Judge Nicholas Mitchell to compose a letter of apology to the girl and her family, which he did in the same terms as instructed. The court imposed a community rehabilitation order lasting three years, with specific conditions attached. These included mandatory attendance at a sex offenders' programme, a prohibition on contacting the victim or her family, and a requirement to reside where directed by the probation service. Additionally, Jones was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of five years and to contribute £500 towards the costs of prosecution.

The incident in question took place at a birthday party, where Jones was accused of inappropriate physical contact with the young girl. Prosecutor Denis Matthews detailed that Jones had placed his hand under her skirt and touched her thigh. The girl, who was present at the party, expressed her discomfort and attempted to pull away from Jones. Following this, Jones reportedly asked if they were still friends and suggested that he wanted to kiss her. The girl refused, and Jones allegedly told her that what happened in the bedroom was a secret. The girl subsequently confided in her mother, leading to Jones's arrest and subsequent police interview. During questioning, Jones claimed that the incident was innocent and that he had merely stumbled against the girl, denying any malicious intent.

Defense lawyer Miss Mary Bennett highlighted Jones's previously good character and his role as a father of three children. She explained that Jones had found it difficult to come to terms with the incident, which had adversely affected his family. The defense also pointed out that Jones was facing the potential loss of his employment, as several colleagues refused to work with him following the incident. Miss Bennett emphasized that Jones was angry with himself for the situation he found himself in, rather than with the girl herself. She insisted there was no evidence to suggest that Jones had groomed the girl for any inappropriate purpose. Furthermore, she stated that Jones had apologized to the girl for any upset caused.

Judge Mitchell acknowledged the references submitted on Jones's behalf and accepted that the incident did not fall into the most serious category of indecent assault. He expressed regret that Jones had not initially apologized directly to the girl and her family, which might have spared the child the distress of court proceedings. The judge also noted that Jones's act of apologizing through the court and his lack of complete loss of control when the girl said stop were factors that contributed to his avoiding a custodial sentence.