A young pervert who grabbed a teenage girl’s bottom and breast while she was walking home has been told he brought shame on himself and his family.

Shumel Miah ‘belly-laughed’ after he sexually assaulted the girl while she was on the phone to her grandmother after they crossed paths in Darlington.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 24-year-old initially walked past his victim before turning around, running up to her and grabbing her bottom.

The pervert then grabbed hold of the teenager’s breast while they were on Salters Lane, Darlington, on July 3 this year.

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In a victim impact statement, the teenager said the attack had left her feeling ‘on edge’ and had impacted on her work and private life.

She added: “I didn’t know what he was going to do. I don’t know whether the sexual assault would continue or he would try to rape me.”

Miah, of Thornton Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and possession of four indecent images of children in category A – the worst level – and five in category B.

Nicholas Askins, mitigating, said his client was immature for his age and had expressed his remorse for his behaviour.

Judge Timothy Stead passed an eight-month sentence suspended for two years and subjected Miah to a two-year community order to address his behaviour.

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He said: “This is the first time you have stood where you are (in the dock of the court) and I very much hope it is the last time.

“You have brought shame on yourself and on your family, although they are blameless in this case.

“It seems at the time when you assaulted a woman of 17, it was light-hearted and didn’t really matter. It does matter as she has been really affected by it.”

Miah was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register for same period of time.