2003: PAIR JAILED AFTER SEX ASSAULT ON GIRL, 15
2003: Two men who were married and committed a sexual assault against a 15-year-old girl have received a two-month jail sentence.Paul Grocock, aged 33, and Andrew Brearley, aged 37, alternated in restraining the girl and groping her at a residence in Bury.
Both men, who are fathers of two children each, later apologized, claiming they had only been joking around.
During a hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester yesterday, Grocock of Wood Street, Bury, and Brearley of Scholes Street, Bury, admitted to indecent assault charges.
They are also required to register as sex offenders for a period of seven years.
The prosecutor, Mr.
Philip Cattan, outlined that the incident took place in November 2001.
On that evening, while the girl was at home playing on her computer with a friend, the two men knocked on her door.
It was around 10:30 pm, and since her mother was at a pub quiz, she felt safe to let them inside due to her familiarity with the men.
Mr.
Cattan explained: "She then experienced an unpleasant and indecent assault." The girl’s brother arrived home shortly after, and she told him she wanted the men to leave.
Grocock expressed remorse to the brother and, realizing the severity of his actions, later tried to contact the girl's mother by phone.
Both defendants claimed to police that they had not assaulted the girl and insisted that their actions were merely innocent teasing, such as tickling.
The court also heard parts of the girl’s impact statement, in which she described how the events had left her traumatized, affecting her mental health and school attendance.
She mentioned that she was on anti-depressants and missing lessons.
Defense lawyer Mr.
Justin Hayhoe stated that both men were genuinely sorry for their conduct.
The judge, Mr.
Justice John Burke QC, emphasized that the girl was not an object for abuse and deserved to live with dignity, and sentenced the men accordingly.
