Cleaner jailed for sexually assaulting teenage girls

Robert Young, 39, from Denham Road, Burgess Hill, was sentenced to three years imprisonment when he appeared at Hove Crown Court on Friday (24 March).

Young had been convicted at Lewes Crown Court on January 17 of four sexual assaults.

According to Sussex Police, Young touched four teenage girls inappropriately during encounters across a five-day period in July last year.

All the incidents took place in Burgess Hill, including St. Johns Park, and in some cases he touched the girls on the bottom, police said.

Young has been in custody since his arrest last July.

He will also be a registered sex offender for life and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), severely restricting his contact with young women.

Detective Constable Andy Robinson said: “Young would spot young the girls walking in the street, and follow them, waiting until he could approach and assault them. “None of them were physically injured but all were very shocked and upset by their experiences.

“We obtained a description of him from several witnesses. Our officers patrolled the area and on the day after the last assault they spotted Young, matching the description, on a cycle. He fled as officers approached but they followed and saw him entering a nearby address where he was arrested.”

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