Sex assault social worker jailed

A social worker in Cambridgeshire has been jailed for 16 months for a sex assault on a 12-year-old girl.

Kevin Mence, 42, from King's Lynn in Norfolk, rubbed the girl's leg as they watched a film and kissed her as she sat on a toilet.

At Norwich Crown Court, Mence admitted two sex assaults which came to light when the girl told her brother.

Judge Alasdair Darroch said: "Here was a young, vulnerable girl. You followed her for your own sexual gratification."

Mence also admitted possessing more than 500 indecent images of children and distributing pornographic material.

I am really pleased he decided to plead guilty so the victim didn't have to come to court Insp Matt Sharman

The court heard Mence gave the girl chocolate and diet Coke before following her to a bathroom where he kissed her on the lips.

He told the girl not to tell her mother about the incident, saying: "It's a secret."

When arrested Mence told police he recognised he "had a problem" and had looked into getting help from a group called Sex Addicts Anonymous.

"I recognise that I am a paedophile because I look at pictures of children being abused," he told detectives.

Catherine Moore, defending, said Mence had lost "everything he held dear", including his family and friends, his home, his profession and his "standing in the community".

"He could not have behaved more responsibly since the offences were committed," she said.

'Checks made'

Det Insp Matt Sharman, from Norfolk Police's child abuse investigation team, said Mence was working as a social worker with adults in Cambridgeshire at the time of his arrest last summer but had also worked with children as a social worker in Norfolk.

"I am really pleased he decided to plead guilty so the victim didn't have to come to court," said Mr Sharman.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council said Mence resigned in October from his position as an adult social worker.

"He worked for us for about a year," the spokesman said.

"We would emphasise that the allegations had nothing to do with Cambridgeshire."

Lisa Christensen, director of children's services at Norfolk County Council, said: "Kevin Mence did work for children's social services in Norfolk between October 2001 and March 2004.

"He then transferred to adult social services, working there for almost a year before leaving Norfolk County Council.

"Full references and checks were carried out before he took up post in Norfolk and no concerns were raised about his conduct during his time here."