Leeds paedophile convicted of groping traumatised teen girl, but avoids custody again
Pervert avoids jail after completing rehabilitation from previous conviction
A defiant paedophile has walked from court again despite being found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
A jury convicted Scott Mowforth of groping the girl several years ago.
The 47-year-old was previously convicted in 2023 of sending a sex video to an underage girl and received a suspended sentence.
Returning to Leeds Crown Court this week to be sentenced for the assault, he was given another suspended sentence.
The court heard that Mowforth had given the girl alcohol and “played a game” with her.
When she felt unwell he touched her genitals over her clothing. When another youngster tried to intervene, Mowforth shouted at her to get out.
The victim was worried about telling anyone, but eventually came forward.
Mowforth, of Kentmere Crescent, Seacroft, stood trial in September after refuting the claim.
Having been found guilty, a victim impact statement from the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was read to the court by prosecutor Andrew Nixon.
She said: “It has affected me in way I could never have expected. It’s something that should never have happened.
“I have emotions I struggle to put into words.
“I did not choose for this to happen to me and should not have been put in this position.
“It was not a minor incident or something I can simply forget.”
Mowforth has two previous convictions for three offences, including causing a child to watch a sex act.
He had sent the victim a 16-second video clip after directly messaging her, and telling her she could confide him if she had “sexual issues”.
Like his latest offending, he denied wrongdoing but was convicted after trial.
He received a 22-month sentence, suspended for 18 months, with rehabilitation requirements. He was also put on the sex offender register for 10 years and gave him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
Mitigating for the assault, Eddison Flint said Mowforth had completed the sexual-offending rehabilitation work and had not offended since.
He said that his “latest” offending predated the rehabilitation work.
The judge, Recorder Patrick Palmer, gave him a 20-month sentence, suspended for two years, with 150 hours of unpaid work.
He said the SHPO and sex offender register requirement will remain in place.