Sex offender tried to bribe 10-year-old victim with gaming tokens.

Barnsley man jailed for sexually assaulting 10-year-old boy and offering gaming tokens as a bribe

A Barnsley man, Bryon Shepherd, 21, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old boy. The assault involved Shepherd touching the boy's genitals, and he attempted to bribe the boy with gaming tokens to allow him to continue the abuse. The assault was interrupted by another individual returning to the property where the abuse took place.

During a police interview, the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stated that Shepherd "wouldn't stop doing it". The sexual assault occurred over a "relatively short period of time", according to the prosecutor, Nicola Quinney.

Shepherd was already on bail for other alleged offenses at the time of the assault. One of the conditions of his bail was that he could not have any contact with a child under 18. The nature of the other allegations was not disclosed in court.

In a statement to the court, the boy's mother, who also cannot be named, said that after learning of the assault, she felt like she had "failed" her son and was "not good enough". She expressed hope that her son would not be "haunted" by the assault and could "move on with his life".

Shepherd's defense attorney, Thomas Penman, argued that his client has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that his condition contributes to his "impulsivity" and "thrill-seeking behavior". Penman cited Shepherd's past action of "running across the M1" as an example of this behavior. He suggested that Shepherd's ASD could be a mitigating factor in his culpability.

However, Judge Graham Reeds KC stated that he could not "see any clear link between your condition - as it has been described - and your offending".

Shepherd pleaded guilty to a single count of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13. Judge Reeds emphasized that the only "appropriate punishment" for the "harm you've caused to this young child and his family" is immediate imprisonment. He added: "You've not shown any remorse at all."

In addition to the prison sentence, Shepherd was issued a 10-year restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting the victim or his family. He was also subjected to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for the same period of time.