April 2016
Barrow pensioner sentenced for inappropriate kiss on teen girl
A PENSIONER convicted of sexual assault for inappropriately kissing a teenage girl has received a suspended jail term and been placed on the sex offenders register.
Gordon William Fisher, 75, appeared at Furness Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to be sentenced for sexual assault against a female.
Fisher, of Abbey Road, in Barrow, had pleaded not guilty to the offence and was then found guilty on April 11 at a trial at the Barrow court.
The court heard that the girl was known to the defendant and the sexual assault took place on January 17.
Mr Lee Dacre, prosecuting, said that Fisher had put his hands on the girl’s shoulders and kissed her on the lips.
Mr Dacre said that when the victim had been questioned she had described the kiss as being like one exchanged between a “boyfriend and girlfriend” and that she was “crying and upset” after the incident.
She said the incident had lasted about eight seconds.
Mr Dacre said there were two prosecution witnesses who had said the kiss was “inappropriate” and said: “What the hell are you doing”.
The prosecutor said Fisher was a man of good character with no previous convictions.
Fisher had previously said that it was meant to be a kiss on the cheek but the girl had turned her head and he ended up kissing her on the lips.
Mr Trystan Roberts, defending, said the defendant did not accept that it was sexual touching.
District judge, Mr Gerald Chalk, said that the “offence was so serious that a prison sentence was justified” as it was “totally inappropriate”.
Mr Chalk sentenced Fisher to 160 days in prison suspended for 12 months and her was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation activity for 40 days.
Fisher also has to pay an £80 victim surcharge, £625 court costs and was place on the sex offenders register for seven years.
