MARTIN COLLINS SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN PRISON FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN READING
A local builder from Reading, Martin Collins, has been sentenced to prison following his conviction for sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl.Collins, who formerly resided on Lower Henley Road in Caversham, was found guilty by Reading Crown Court of committing two separate acts of sexual assault against the young girl during the holiday season of 2019 and 2020.
The court proceedings revealed distressing details about the incidents.
The first assault involved Collins touching the girl’s genitals over her clothes while she was sitting on his lap.
The second incident occurred as the girl was seated in the front passenger seat of Collins' vehicle while they were en route to a Screwfix store in Reading to pick up a toolkit.
During this journey, Collins again inappropriately touched the girl’s genitals over her clothing.
The repercussions of these events have profoundly affected the victim.
The girl’s mother provided a statement read out by prosecutor Simon Walters, in which she described the drastic change in her daughter's personality since the incidents.
According to her, the girl now exhibits extreme anger outbursts over minor provocations, often kicking, shouting, and screaming.
She has developed a distrust of others, struggles with normal social interactions, and experiences nightmares.
Recently, she expressed a reluctance to return to the area near the Screwfix store where the assaults occurred.
The mother emphasized that her child's emotional scars will likely persist for many years.
The defense attorney, Lyall Thompson, argued that there was no evidence to suggest Collins manipulated the girl or that he engineered circumstances to be alone with her.
He also mentioned the personal hardship Collins has endured since the trial, including losing all his friends and having his home vandalized with graffiti.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Edward Burgess highlighted that Collins occupied a position of trust when he committed these offenses.
The 66-year-old man will serve three years in prison for two counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.
Additionally, Collins will be registered on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years.
The sentencing took place on Monday, November 1, at Reading Crown Court, underscoring the seriousness of Collins' violations and the lasting impact on his young victim.
