Southend man followed girl, 13, and lifted up her skirt

The victim, a 13-year-old girl, was on her way to school walking towards Southend East train station when she was sexually assaulted by Wayne Byfield.

While walking through an alleyway, the victim spotted her attacker and after realising he was following her, she began to panic and attempted to flee.

Byfield followed the victim and lifted up her skirt from behind when he caught up with her.

He admitted sexual assault and during his sentencing at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, a victim impact statement revealed the victim has “flashbacks” of the incident and is scared to use public transport.

Oliver Weetch, prosecuting, said: “After lifting the victim’s skirt up, Mr Byfield walked past her as if nothing had happened. The victim describes being terrified and she froze thinking the defendant was going to touch her bottom but he did not.

“She met with friends at the train station and was upset and crying, calling her father, who attended and confronted the defendant.”

The police were called and attended. As Byfield was arrested, he told officers he dropped a lighter and accidentally touched the victim’s skirt.

Mr Weetch added CCTV footage from the incident contradicted Byfield’s account.

A victim impact statement described the victim feeling ‘“nervous” and “anxious” using public transport as a result of what happened.

The incident took place in April 2020.

Kevin Toomey, mitigating for Byfield, said: “This was a nasty little offence and I say that not to downplay the stress the victim has and is always going to have. In terms of the offence, it’s quite unpleasant but there is no evidence Mr Byfield knew how old the victim was. Mr Byfield has not had access to his medication and was not using it at the time of this offence.”

Judge Ian Graham handed Byfield, of Rectory Chase, Southend, a 12-month community order with a three-month curfew between 9am and 3pm each day. He was also put on the sex offenders register for five years.