Sheffield groomer, 67, convinced victim to stay silent about 'French kissing' saying it was 'their secret'

Kenneth Dunne, of Challoner Way, Westfield, denied any wrongdoing after convincing his victim to stay silent for over two years after the offence.

But the 67-year-old was found guilty by a jury of one count of assault by touching, in which he told her not to tell anyone about the “French kissing.”

Her Honour Judge Megan Rhys said in sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court (March 20): “It’s clear from the evidence you knew full well what you were doing.

“You told her to shut the door, you told her it was ‘French kissing’, and you told her not to tell anyone and that it was ‘your secret’.

“And she did not tell anybody until long after it had happened. And she thought she would be the one in trouble.”

The damage caused by the Dunne’s grooming was laid bare when a statement by the victim’s mother’s was read out in court, sharing how the girl has struggled in school ever since and suffers from angry outbursts.

Her mother wrote: “I feel our family has been torn apart.”

Dunne was sentenced to 20 months in prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order that prevents him from having any unsupervised contact or communication with any girl aged 16 for the next five years.

He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from having any contact whatsoever with his victim for the next five years.