A ROYAL Wootton Bassett man who admitted sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl has narrowly avoided being sent to prison.

Alex Butler, 20, of The Rosary, appeared for sentencing on Tuesday having pleaded guilty at a previous court appearance last month.

The court heard how on June 10, Butler contacted a young girl who had only recently turned 14.

Knowing she was going through an unhappy time in her life, Butler used the Snapchat app to persuade her to go with him to Coate Water.

At around 9pm, he picked the girl up and drove her to the car park at the popular nature site.

Kate Prince, prosecuting, told the court that it was in the car that the sexual activity then took place.

She said: “Mr Butler offered the girl a hug, the hug is described as awkward because of the centre console of the car.

“He pulled the girl onto his lap where the hug continued. She indicates that whilst in that hold, he started touching her.”

The court heard how in a statement, the girl described being touched on the breasts, on her legs and then inbetween her legs – when she asked Butler what he was doing he said “I was bored”.

She went on to say: “I was really scared, I was really shocked by it.”

Butler took the girl back to her house at around 11pm – the behaviour in the car is believed to have lasted for around 40 minutes.

Butler, who has no previous convictions, arrived at court with an overnight bag – aware that he could go to prison.

At last month's hearing, the prosecutor requested that the case be sent to the Crown Court where the powers of sentencing are greater than the six months available to magistrates.

But the bench sitting on that occasion decided to retain jurisdiction. They adjourned proceedings to allow the Probation Service to compile a report.

That report recommended a high level community order with a requirement for Butler to complete a programme aimed at reducing the likelihood of reoffending among sex offenders.

Emma Hanslip, defending, urged the bench to follow the report's recommendations.

She said: “Yes this is a sexual offence but it is touching over clothing. It has not gone on to touching under clothing or naked genitalia.

“The pre-sentence report deems that he is a medium risk not a high risk.”

She said that since the offence there had been no further issues and that complying with the requirements of a community order would, in itself, be an onerous task.

After a lengthy period of deliberation, the magistrates decided that the matter was in fact too serious to be dealt with by a community order alone.

The chairman of the bench, Mrs Deborah Couzens, said: “Given the level of harm in this case the starting point is six months custody. But we think in the circumstances that this can be suspended.”

Butler was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.

In that time he will have to complete a sex offender treatment programme and 25 days of rehabilitation activity as directed by the Probation Service.

He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for the next seven years.

The victim in this case is entitled to lifetime anonymity by law. Please keep this in mind if commenting on social media.