Paedophile assaulted young boy in bowling alley toilet.

Man Sexually Assaults Boy in Bowling Alley Toilets

Scott Light, 32, was sentenced to three years in prison for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old boy in the toilets of a bowling alley. Light, who has a history of assaulting children, waited 19 minutes in the toilets before the boy entered.

Prosecutor Claire Pickthall told Cardiff Crown Court that Light "shuffled closer" to the boy at the urinal and asked "Can I?" before committing the assault.

The boy, who described being in shock, ran out of the toilets and alerted staff. Light was found in a locked cubicle and arrested. He gave a "no comment" interview.

CCTV footage showed that Light had "planned" the assault by waiting for a child to enter the toilets.

Light has a previous conviction for attempted voyeurism and possessing indecent images of children. He is also awaiting sentence for assaulting three children in Northern Ireland.

The victim's mother said the attack had changed her son from a "happy and carefree" boy to one who is afraid of public toilets and struggles to trust people.

"His right to innocence has been eroded by the events that night," she said. "He asks: 'Why did he do that to me?' How do you explain to a boy that he was sexually assaulted? No child or his family should ever have to go through this."

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said the attack had left the victim "shocked and upset" and that only an immediate prison sentence would be appropriate.