June 2008 Sex attacker given five years inside A MAN has been sent to prison for five years after being found guilty of sex attacks on young girls from Northwich. Simon Ellison, 41, formerly of Winnington, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Monday. In April a jury found the freelance photographer guilty of one charge of sexual assault and two charges of attempted rape. The sexual assault happened on February 2, 2007 when Ellison had invited people to a gathering at his home. The court was told that he plied the 16-year-old girl with vodka, before he put his hand down her top and made her touch his crotch. The attempted rape happened on May 13 2007, at the same address. Ellison had been watching the Thundersprint in Northwich town centre. He then went to a bar where he gave a group of girls alcoholic drinks before once again inviting them back to his house. He was given four years for each attempted rape charge, to run concurrently, and 12 months for the charge of sexual assault. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life, and a sex offenders prevention order was made which prevents him from working with children again.