Child sex pervert's sentence cut

Pensioner John Horsman, of Oak Lea, Greasbrough, forced the girl to fondle him after luring her into a building and locking the door behind her.

He was jailed for five years at Sheffield Crown Court in November last year, having pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

This week Lord Justice Hooper, Mr Justice Stadlen and Mr Justice Sweeney, sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, reduced that term to three and a half years.

Lawyers for Horsman said he was in poor health and pleaded his advanced age in mitigation.

Condemning the offence, Mr Justice Stadlen said: “There were seriously aggravating factors in this case, including the youth of the complainant and Horsman's attempts to disguise the offence.”

But, allowing the appeal, he concluded: “Given his age and the circumstances of the offence, the appropriate sentence after a trial would have been one of four years.

“Given his late guilty plea we think the appropriate sentence would be one of three and a half years.”