July 2011 Man jailed for sex attack on girl, 13 An opportunist sex offender who abused a child in a Cambridgeshire park has been jailed for 18 months. Terrence Beckwith, of Evans Way, Sawston, was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court for the offence against a 13-year-old girl at Mill Lane Recreation Ground in the village on May 9 last year. Beckwith, 28, consistently denied the charge of sexual activity with a child but was found guilty by a unanimous jury last month after a week-long trial. During the trial, the court heard that Beckwith had been in the park with the complainant – then 13 – and some of her friends before he took advantage of a short period alone with her. Beckwith ripped open the teenager’s shirt and touched her breasts before smacking her bottom. The young victim – who has received counselling since the assault – watched him being sentenced via video link. The court heard Beckwith  had faced previous allegations of sexual assault against women and young girls – he was not convicted for any of them. Judge Gareth Hawkesworth told Beckwith: “You seized an opportunity at the recreation ground in Sawston to sexually touch this young girl. “It was aggravated by the fact that she was a particularly vulnerable person to such attentions and it has caused her great distress in a young life that needed comfort and security. “This is not the first time you have behaved like this towards other young girls. “There is a pattern of behaviour in your case that is initially caused by consumption of alcohol which results in either violent and destructive or inappropriate sexual behaviour to others.” Judge Hawkesworth also read from a pre-sentence report which stated that in interviews since his conviction, Beckwith described the jury’s decision as “rubbish” and co-operated “only superficially”. Judge Hawkesworth added: “While you remain in denial about any wrongdoing, your risk to others remains high.” Mark Shelley, mitigating on behalf of Beckwith, said his client understood that what he had been found guilty of was “wrong with girls under 16”. The Sawston man was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, for which he will serve half in custody. He will sign the sex offenders register and a sexual offences prevention order was imposed, preventing any contact with under 16s unless supervised.