Sex pest targeted teenager

A 63-year-old military man lured a young teenager to his Ipswich home for sex, a court heard.

Fernando Dias, of Parliament Road, Ipswich met the 13-year-old girl on a public Ipswich bus and befriended her, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

He then took her to a café, bought her tea and biscuits and then invited her back to his flat where he made sexual advances towards her.

Steven Dyble, prosecuting, said: “He was very serious on committing a very serious sexual offence. But she resisted.”

Judge Peter Thompson, said: “The jury convicted you of one count of sexual activity with a child.

“You denied it, you have no acceptance of your wrong doing. You denied ever meeting her, taking her to your flat and of sexually touching her.”

Joanne Eley, mitigating, said Dias was of previous good character and had spent time in the military in the 1960s.

She said: “He has never had problems in his life and has always abided by the law.”

Ms Eley said Dias, who has grown up children and young grandchildren, was suffering with prostate cancer and had been recovering from an operation during his trial in September.

She said: “The allegation here is sexual touching, that he touched her bottom for a few seconds, made comments about her breasts and kissed them and her.

“It falls towards the lower end of this type of offence.”

Judge Thompson sentenced Dias to a community order with 18 months' probation supervision with the aim of rehabilitation.

He was told to sign the sex offender's register and he was prevented from being alone with under 16-year-olds without appropriate supervision for the rest of his life.