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Pervert jailed for attacking 11-year-old girl

Mar 8 2009 by Robert Weatherall, Sunday Sun

A FORMER football coach has been banned for life from working with children after carrying out a sickening sex attack on a young girl.

Pervert Richard Wilkinson will spend the next 12 months behind bars after admitting assaulting an 11-year-old girl.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Wilkinson, who used to help coach two youth football teams in Northumberland, forced himself onto the youngster and performed a sex act on her.

The 33-year-old was caught after his terrified victim broke down and admitted the attack to her mother.

Wilkinson was sentenced to two years at Teesside Crown Court after earlier admitting a single charge of sexually assaulting a girl under 13.

The court heard how Wilkinson, of Ash Grove, Ryton, Gateshead, had been on an all-day drinking session with his friends in which he downed 12 to 15 pints of lager before launching his attack on the defenceless schoolgirl.

Prosecutor Alec Burns said: “Though she was 11-years-old she was very small for her age.

“The girl says that she trusted the defendant and that he started to run his fingers down her back. He then moved his hands inside her clothes.”

Judge Christopher Prince was then told that Wilkinson attempted to kiss the girl.

Mr Burns said: “The girl described it as being ‘the way adult people kiss’.”

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