Leeds pensioner convicted of "vile" sexual assault of four-year-old girl after incident was witnessed by workman

Fred Longley, 70, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

The court heard Longley was arrested and charged with the offence after a workman witnessed the assault on the child as he carried out work fitting doors at a property in Leeds.

Longley denied the offence but was found guilty by a jury.

The court heard that Longley touched the girl in a sexual way on three occasions during the same incident.

Marcus Waite, for Longley, told the court that the defendant continued to deny the offence.

Mr Waite said the widower had never been in trouble before.

The court was told Longley suffers from Parkinson's disease and was vulnerable.

Mr Waite said Longley had worked throughout his life before retiring.

He became a carer for his wife during her illness before her death nine years ago.

Longley, of High Street, Yeadon, was given an 18-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

Sentencing Longley, Judge Andrew Stubbs, QC, described Longley's behaviour as "vile"

He said: "You engineered a situation where you could touch her for your own gratification.

"There can be no explanation for what (the workman) saw when he was working."

Longley was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order prohibiting from having unsupervised contact with any female child under the age of 16.

He was told he must register as a sex offender for ten years.