William McCorriston, a former SDLP councillor from Londonderry was given a probation order after admitting two charges of sexual assault against a child. The girl was 11 at the time of the attack.
McCorriston, 77 at the time of his trial, from Phillip Street, Londonderry, was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years. The young girl told her mother he had kissed her and felt her body over her clothing. She also said that weeks earlier, he had kissed her on the cheeks and then the lips.
A former SDLP councillor pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl. William McCorriston, 77, from Philip Street in Londonderry, admitted two counts of sexual assault on dates between 6 and 21 September, 2010.
The city's magistrates court heard that when interviewed, McCorriston had originally denied doing anything inappropriate.
The court was told that the offences came to the attention of police when the child's mother told them her daughter had said that a Family Friend had touched her and made an inappropriate comment.
She told her mother he had kissed her, and felt her body over her clothing. She also said that weeks earlier, he had kissed her on the cheeks and then the lips.
The prosecution barrister told the court the girl said she had been in her own home and her father was watching a football match. She said she went into the kitchen and McCorriston told her to look in a catalogue to see a clock she was interested in.
She said he sat beside her and then he kissed her, first short kisses then a longer one that she estimated lasted about 7 seconds. The child said that it 'felt weird'. McCorriston then went behind her and felt her breasts through her clothing.
The court heard that the girl got up and McCorriston pulled her towards him and kissed her and squeezed her breasts. The girl then left the kitchen and went and told her mother. After they heard McCorriston leave the house they told the father.
The court was also told that a few weeks previously when the girl had been doing her homework McCorriston had kissed her on the cheek and on the lips.
McCorriston was interviewed on December 1 and denied any inappropriate behaviour.
Defence barrister Mr Paul Foster said that this had been a 'distressing' incident for the girl. He said that McCorriston understood that what he had done was wrong and that his plea of guilty was not only to the court but to his own family and the wider community. Mr Foster said that if the behaviour had ceased after the first incident nothing may have come of it.
Judge Piers Grant said that the court was concerned that this was the 'modus operandi of those carrying out this repulsive activity'. He said that at first the activity was low level and if the child did not report it then it moved to a higher level.
Mr. Foster said there was no suggestion of any force being used and handed in a reference from someone who had been 'in political life' with McCorriston which he said "sets out the good work done over 77 years over the bad activity of 7 seconds.
Judge Grant said any sexual assault on a child was serious.
The defence solicitor said his client had a very public persona, and could not believe he did what he did.
Judge Piers Grant said the court was concerned this was the normal modus operandi of "those carrying out these repulsive activities" in that they would start off at a low level and then continue if the child did not report it. He said any sexual assault on a child had to be regarded as serious.
The former councillor was given a probation order after admitting two charges of sexual assault against a child, and was also the subject of a Sexual Prevention Order which barred him from any unsupervised contact with children aged under 18, including his own grandchildren, and loitering near anywhere where children frequent.