Man who sexually assaulted young girl in Boston-area park jailed

Benjamin Garner, 42, touched the child on her thigh after repeatedly moving his wheelchair to stop her passing him.

Garner was caught by police after the girl ran home and reported the attack, which happened at a play area in Wyberton.

Lincoln Crown Court was told the incident occurred as the child was trying to walk her bike through the park shortly after 6pm on July 15, 2024.

Officers found Garner drinking on a bench where he had returned after touching the girl's thigh, the court was told.

The girl later disclosed that she was scared Garner might have taken her away or kidnapped her.

In an impact statement, the girl's mother said she thought the park would be safe.

It was also said the daughter became strongly upset when she was asked to give a DNA sample to the police.

Following the incident, Garner was made the subject of both a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Criminal Behaviour Order which prevented him drinking in public.

The court was told Garner, of no fixed address, breached both of those orders on November 2, when he was seen naked from the waist down in the village of Witham St Hughs.

Garner, who appeared in court via a videolink from HMP Lincoln, admitted three charges of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order and assaulting a girl under 13 by touching.

Neil Sands, in mitigation, accepted Garner was sexually frustrated, but argued there was not a specific targeting of children.

“He has never had a meaningful relationship and has become detached from the community,” Mr Sands stressed.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst warned Garner he would have considered him a ‘dangerous offender’ if the law allowed him to pass such a sentence.

Judge Hirst told Garner it was an aggravating feature that he moved his wheelchair to stop the girl passing him.

“Understandably she felt scared by what you did,” Judge Hirst stressed.