Sompting man jailed for indecent assault

Stanley Grout, 51, of Millfield, Sompting, had pleaded guilty to the assault at a plea and case management hearing in December.

The victim cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Sue Lumbard, prosecuting at Chichester Crown Court on Friday, January 9, said for two weeks before the assault, the victim had been sleeping on the sofa at Grout's one-bedroom flat.

On July 3, 2008, Grout indecently assaulted him.

Rape

In 1999, Grout had been convicted of sexual assault and rape on an under-age girl over a period of four years in Ferring.

Ben Douglas-Jones, defending, asked Judge Robin Barratt to take into consideration that Grout had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, meaning the victim had not had to give evidence in court.

"Mr Grout stopped when it became clear his advances were unwanted," he said.

Trauma

Sentencing, Judge Barratt said: "You really had no option but to admit what you had done, but it is very much to your credit that it spared the young man the trauma of having to come to court against you."

Grout was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment to run on consecutively from his current sentence.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

For a full report on the sentencing see this week's Lancing Herald (Thursday, January 15).

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