August 2015

Man who sexually assaulted a young girl has been jailed for eight years

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Jason Gordon Roy Sleight was convicted after a trial at York Crown Court in May, after they heard he was was an overnight guest in the child’s house when he abused her and told her to keep quiet about it.

The jury heard her mother had realised something was wrong and the girl revealed what had happened, but Sleight, 25, of Viking Drive, Riccall, denied sexual assault throughout the trial.

The court heard Sleight showed the girl television on his mobile phone in the bedroom where he was to sleep, before sexually assaulting her.

As soon as the mother heard what he had done, she ordered him out of the house. It was nearly midnight. Sleight went without objecting and later did not object when police arrested him on his way home.

At York Crown Court on Thursday he was jailed for eight years, and told he would face another four years on extended licence on his release from prison. He will also be on the sex offenders’ register for life.

Detective Sergeant Fionna McEwan of North Yorkshire Police said: “It is satisfying to know that Sleight will now spend a number of years behind bars for his despicable crime. He is now in a place where he can cause no harm to any other children.

“Although this sentence will not offer any comfort to his young victim, I hope that it can be a starting point for her and her family to move forward with their lives.”

Sleight has previous convictions for assault, drink-driving and other motoring offences, and a previous conviction for wounding, after he smashed a glass over his adult cousin’s head for which he was jailed for eight months.

May 2015

GUILTY: Man convicted of sexually assaulting young girl

A MAN has been warned he faces jail after a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting a young girl.

The jurors at York Crown Court heard that Jason Gordon Roy Sleight was an overnight guest in the child’s house when he abused her and told her to keep quiet about it.

But her mother realised something was wrong and the girl revealed what had happened.

Sleight, 25, of Viking Drive, Riccall, denies sexual assault but was convicted by the jury after they had been in retirement for four hours.

He showed no emotion as they returned their verdict.

Recorder Simon Jackson QC adjourned sentence at the defence’s request while probation officers prepare a report on Sleight.

He said: “Certainly he faces a period of custody”. He added that he had not made up his mind and that all sentencing options remained open.

Kate Bisset, for Sleight, said he had a history of depression and the defence team wanted to give the court medical reports about him.

Sleight was released on bail on condition he lives at his home address, observe a nightly curfew, doesn’t contact prosecution witnesses in the case and stays out of the town where the girl lives. He will be sentenced in four weeks time on a date to be arranged.

The jury heard that Sleight has previous convictions for assault, wounding, drink driving and other motoring offences.

They were not told the wounding was for smashing a glass over his adult cousin’s head and that he was jailed for eight months for it.

York Crown Court heard Sleight showed the girl television on his mobile phone in the bedroom where he was to sleep before sexually assaulting her.

As soon as the mother heard what he had done, she ordered him out of the house. It was nearly midnight.

Sleight went without objecting and later did not object when police arrested him on his way home.