A man who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl in Felixstowe eight years ago has walked free from court after a judge decided not to send him straight to prison.

Scott Mealyou put his hand inside the nine-year-old girl’s clothing and touched her between the legs in 2009 but the offence only came to the attention of the police in 2015, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Joanne Eley, prosecuting, said that in 2010 Mealyou had been jailed for 20 weeks for sexually touching two other girls under-13.

Mealyou, now 32, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girl at a hearing in July, which was adjourned until today for a pre-sentence report.

Mealyou, who now lives in Musselburgh, Scotland, was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.

He was also banned from contacting the victim of the offence.

Sentencing him, Judge Martyn Levett said Mealyou had changed his lifestyle completely since committing the offences and was now considered to pose a minimal risk of re-offending.