January 2015 Cheltenham dad jailed after being found guilty of child sex offence A Cheltenham dad of two who abused a couple’s hospitality by getting their eight-year-old daughter to touch him sexually during a visit to their home was jailed for 28 months today. Russell Peacock, 41, of Princess Elizabeth Way, Cheltenham, received the sentence after a jury found him guilty by a majority of 10-2 of inciting the child to engage in sexual activity with him on Nov 22nd 2013. Several members of the jury of nine women and three men were visibly distressed when they returned their verdict this evening after a retirement of three and a half hours. None stayed to see Peacock being sentenced Judge Euan Ambrose told the jurors: “I have received your note indicating that some of you are distressed by this case. It is tough, I understand that. “We judges and lawyers see these cases day in day out but you don’t and I do not under-estimate the effect it has had on you.” He told them their duty was over and they did not have to stay any longer if they did not wish to. The court had heard that Peacock met the girl’s family in a pub where he had been drinking most of the day on Nov 22nd 2013. They invited him back to their home and he sat on a sofa where the girl sat down beside him and pulled a blanket over them both. Prosecutor Robert Duvall said that Peacock got out his penis under the blanket, took the girl’s hand and got her to touch it. He also rubbed it against her leg, over her pyjamas. Immediately afterwards the girl told her mother what had happened. She confronted Peacock and when he denied it she fetched the girl and asked her to repeat the allegation in front of him, which she did, Peacock was said to have got down on his knees denying the offence and pleading with the family not to call the police. In evidence, Peacock told the jury that “never in a million years” would have he touched the girl in a sexual way. He said he had played with and cuddled with the girl like he would do with his own daughter. “Her mother came in and put the accusations to me that I tried to touch her daughter,” he said. “My head just melted. “I could not remember what exactly was said.” Defending Anna Knott asked: “Was there any truth in the allegation?” Peacock replied: “Not in a million years. “I was denying it. I can’t remember how many times – I denied it so many times.” Peacock said he left the house when he realised the police were being called. “I thought I am not running off. I walked off and walked around 50 yards and sat on the pavement. “I was not going to run away I had done nothing wrong.” Peacock admitted that he had a lot of previous convictions, but said they were mainly for fighting and violence. After the conviction Ms Knott told the court Peacock had already suffered punishment in that he had not been able to see his own 7 year old daughter and 12 year old son except for one hour sessions each week supervised by a social worker. Judge Ambrose told Peacock said that although the girl did not at this stage seemed to have suffered significantly from the offence the likelihood was that she would be more profoundly affected in the future. There had been an element of breach of trust in the offence, he added. He jailed Peacock for 2 years four months and ordered him to sign the sex offender register for the next ten years.