This is Hull and East Riding --A SUNDAY school volunteer who sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl has been jailed.
Brian Geoffrey Smith, 61, sexually assaulted the girl more than ten years ago.
He has since worked as a lunchtime supervisor at Parks Primary School and was a school governor at Dane Park Primary School in Orchard Park.
Smith was suspended from his posts when the allegations came to light.
He was also a volunteer helper at a Sunday school at St Michael and All Angels Church in north Hull.
Smith, of Axdane, Orchard Park, pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to sexual assault. No evidence was offered on a further charge of gross indecency against another child.
Judge Mark Bury jailed him for eight months and banned him from working with children for life.
He said: "I accept, as I must, that this was a one-off incident and there is no obvious reason why this offence occurred.
"This offence has had a bad effect on her. She has suffered anxiety and panic attacks.
"The maximum sentence for this offence at the time was two years. This offence is so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified."
Smith has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years.
His barrister Paul Genney said: "It was an inexplicable, one-off incident. He was suspended by the local authority when the allegation was made.
"He has worked across Hull as a very sympathetic, caring person in charge of children with problems and he did that work for quite some time.
"He is also a devout Christian and works with youth groups, and that has all ended now.
"He faces a fairly lonely, bleak future."
Paul Dyson, Independent Chair of the Hull Safeguarding Children Board, said:
"Smith has had a number of roles, paid and voluntary, working with children and young people in Hull. The conviction does not relate to any child Smith met as a result of his employment or as a volunteer.
"His current and previous employers have worked closely with the police throughout this case and he has not worked with local children and young people since the allegations came to light.
"Hull Safeguarding Children Board member agencies work closely together to ensure that people who harm children in this way are brought to justice."
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