September 2017 Man who abused girls is spared prison sentence A pervert who abused two teenage girls has been spared a prison sentence. Richard Collins, now 70, targeted his victims more than a decade ago when they were in their mid-teens. The defendant, who now lives in Le Fleix, Dordogne, France, was confronted by one of the girls earlier this year. He told her to go to the police if she felt she needed to, the court heard. On Friday, August 25, Collins appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court to be sentenced after admitting two counts of indecent assault. Simon Jones, prosecuting, said the first victim was abused at a property in Poole. When she asked Collins to stop, he did so immediately, it was heard. When interviewed by officers after the victim went to the police, he said he had been attracted to the girl and was “not able to control himself”. “He was infatuated with her both physically and with her personality,” Mr Jones said. The second girl was abused by the defendant in Hampshire at a different time, although within six months of the first offence, it was heard. Collins forced the victim to perform a sex act on him in a van. When she pulled away, he shouted: “You can’t leave me like that.” During police interview, the defendant denied the incident. However, he later admitted a charge relating to the second victim in court. Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said Collins has otherwise led an apparently “blameless, hardworking and no doubt industrious life”. “I am dealing with two brief, isolated incidents,” he said. Collins was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for 18 months. He must comply with a supervision requirement for a year, as well as a three-month curfew. An indefinite restraining order preventing the defendant from contacting either victim was also made.