Man jailed for sexual assault outside court

Darnell McCollins, 24, from London, will serve 23 weeks in prison following on from jail time for an existing offence

A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting two girls outside a court while on trial for another offence for which he was subsequently cleared.

Darnell McCollins, 24, from London, was due to appear at Stafford Crown Court on 3 June last year when he approached two teenage girls and started asking them questions.

He touched both of them and made repeated advances before the girls walked away and raised the alarm, police said.

He was sentenced to 23 weeks in prison and placed on the Sexual Offender's Register for seven years and also given a restraining order.

McCollins denied the offences when questioned by officers but later pleaded guilty in court.

He was sentenced at Cannock Magistrates' Court on 11 March.

Det Insp Emma Roach, from Staffordshire Police, said: "I'm pleased that we were able to gather the evidence needed to convict McCollins of his crimes and to support the survivors as much as possible.

"We're determined to deliver justice for victims of sexual crimes in Staffordshire and to act robustly against those responsible."