Sexually assaulted two young girls more than 20 years apart.

Glenn Barker, 53, of Beeleigh Way, Caister-on-Sea, has been jailed for eight years for sexually assaulting two young girls.

Barker appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Friday (June 17) where he was sentenced after pleading guilty to sexual assault of a child under 13 on August 14, 2020, and two offences of indecent assault against another girl, aged between seven and nine, between June 2000 and June 2003.

Claire Matthews, prosecuting, said the victim in the 2020 offence was a young child who had been left "scared". The court heard Barker had bribed his victims, neither of whom can be identified for legal reasons, with sweets and urged them to keep secret what had happened.

A statement from the mother of the victim assaulted in 2020 described how their lives were "turned upside down" as soon as the offence came to light. She said the victim has changed since the assault and no longer liked to get changed in front of people, not even her father.

Recorder John Hardy, sentencing Barker, said: "You've pleaded guilty to offences which right-minded people would consider repulsive". He said that people who behave as he had done, sexually assaulting young children, and who are caught and prosecuted should expect to receive immediate sentences of imprisonment.

Danielle O'Donovan, mitigating, said this was a man who had pleaded guilty to "terrible acts" but insisted these were separate and individual acts which were "clearly against his own nature". She told the court he was a "weak individual" who had taken "ugly steps" in his life and was "surprised and shocked" by his own behaviour. But Miss O'Donovan said offences of this sort were very rarely admitted and described it as courageous for him to have admitted them. She said he was capable of being a decent human being.

Barker was prevented from contacting both victims directly or indirectly indefinitely. He was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders register indefinitely and made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).