Knutsford teenager sentenced following sexual assaults

A Knutsford man, convicted of sexual assault after inappropriately touching a teenage girl, has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service, handed an £80 fine, told to pay £250 compensation and an £85 victims surcharge.

Jamie Griffiths, 19, of Blackhill Lane, Knutsford appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 23 October where he was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for five years and pay £650 costs. 

Griffiths was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault following a one-day trial relating to incidents which occurred in October and November 2018. On both occasions a 17-year-old girl was inappropriately touched by Griffiths. 

In October 2018 he touched the victim on her arm as she walked past him on Blackhill Lane, then several weeks later, touched the victim on her hip. 

Griffiths was arrested in connection with the incidents on Tuesday 13 November 2018. A subsequent examination of his mobile phone revealed a number of deleted text messages that he had sent to a family member. 

Within the messages, which were sent just hours after investigating officers had made house-to-house enquiries in the street where he lived, Griffiths had related the incidents. 

He wrote: “It wasn’t just one incident but I’m done now. Please I have uni to think about. I was just so lonely.” 

A message sent to Griffiths from the family member read: “So you grabbed her butt and then ran immediately?” 

Upon the completion of the trial, Police Constable Lawrence Price said: “Incidents of this nature are rare in the Knutsford area and Griffiths’ actions understandably caused a large amount of concern in the local community. He also caused the victim unnecessary stress and trauma. 

“She was left feeling extremely anxious as a result of what he did to her and she was unable to leave her home alone, at a time when she was due to sit her mock exams. I hope that this conviction will provide reassurance to the victim, and local residents, and also acts as a warning to other people who feel that it is acceptable to act in this manner.” 

During the trial Griffiths was also found guilty of causing criminal damage in relation to an incident at Knutsford High School.