THOMAS MCCARTHY OF WAKEFIELD SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON TEENAGE GIRL IN LEEDS
In May 2021, Thomas McCarthy, a 54-year-old resident of The Crescent, Tingley, Wakefield, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison after being convicted of two counts of sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl in Leeds.The assaults occurred in December 2018 and involved McCarthy groping and molesting the teenager.
During the first incident, McCarthy unbuttoned the girl’s bra and touched her breasts, claiming he was searching for lumps, supposedly related to cancer.
He also told her a story about a man who was wrongly imprisoned after a 16-year-old had sex with him and then claimed he was underage when it happened.
On a subsequent occasion, McCarthy again unbuttoned her bra, looked into her eyes, and kissed her.
He was about to kiss her a second time when she objected, prompting him to stop and apologize.
He then sent her a message promising not to repeat his conduct.
The Leeds Crown Court heard how the girl was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following these incidents.
Prosecutor Richard Walters noted that McCarthy's behavior appeared opportunistic rather than part of a grooming pattern.
The victim provided a statement describing the emotional impact of the assaults.
She reported suffering from nightmares, fear of sleeping, frequent arguments, being emotionally upset, and feeling angry about life.
She found difficulty in getting out of bed, experienced random breakdowns in class, and was reluctant to meet new people.
The girl also disclosed that she had attended counseling and was formally diagnosed with PTSD.
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar stated, "I have no doubt in my mind that had she not been brave enough to call out, it would have continued." The court took into account McCarthy's previous good character; his last conviction was in the 1980s for a different offence.
