An HGV driver who sexually abused a vulnerable 14-year-old girl he was 'grooming' has walked free from court.

Simon Miles molested the youngster, who feared she was going to be raped, and she now has repeated nightmares where she is the subject of sex attacks.

But after hearing the 39-year-old's problems can be addressed on a sex offenders' programme in the community the judge imposed a suspended sentence.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Miles, a friend of the family, carried out the sexual offence against the girl on Thursday, March 26, last year.

He said: "It was on the day in question he took her out to Costa coffee and began behaving inappropriately to her.

"He asked her on a scale of one to ten how much she loved him, and so on. Asked her if she could keep a secret.

"He asked her to come back to his caravan. Asked her to kiss him on the lips. He kissed her on the cheek, she turned her head.

"He unbuckled her seatbelt and he licked her face. It all stopped later on when then they stopped to pick up her brother.

"In terms of sexual offending they are not the most serious: in terms of the girl they had had the most terrible effect."

Although she had suicidal thoughts in the past, he said she had more since the offence and also had issues with being near men.

"She has nightmares that she is raped. She thought that was going to happen on this occasion," he said

"Asked how often she these nightmares are. She said most nights It has clearly had a very severe effect on her indeed."

Miles, of Carstairs Avenue, Park South, initially denied sexual activity with a child but changed his plea to guilty on the day of trial.

James Burke, defending, said his client, who has a son and daughter of his own, needed help to address why he committed the offence.

He said: "It started out as a somewhat innocuous and playful relationship, that the defendant had with the complainant in this matter, and he has now clearly accepted that he crossed the line and his behaviour became inappropriate.

"The pre-sentence report addresses the fact that his insight into exactly why it was in appropriate an of a sexual nature is something which he needs to address."

He said his client had worked almost all of his adult life as a heavy goods vehicle driver, making him unsuitable for a curfew or unpaid work.

Passing sentence Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "It is submitted on your behalf it started out as an innocuous relationship.

"If that is right then it was fairly short lived. It is clear you were grooming her with the intention you had in mind to abuse her. She was extremely vulnerable and you knew that.

"You were supposed to be looking after her and you were trusted to do that, but you did exactly the opposite. You caused her very serious harm.

"I have to bear in mind that impact of what you did on her. I also have to bear in mind your total lack of insight in to what you did.

"Perhaps a greater insight is that you haven't uttered a single word of remorse for what you did. What you did was appalling.

"The impact of what you did is clear for all to see apart from perhaps yourself, because I can't think of any other reason why you would show no remorse."

He imposed a 20-month jail term suspended for two years with a Thames Valley Sex Offender Programme and told him he must register as a sex offender.

He said: "It is thought your risk of committing further offending can be managed in the community."