Man jailed for 'horrendous' sexual assaults

The court was told Nigel Frith's offending spanned an 11 year period between 2012 and 2023

A 56-year-old man has been jailed for 34 months after admitting to sexually assaulting six people over an 11-year period.

Nigel Frith, of Woolavington in Somerset, pleaded guilty to 14 counts of sexual assault by touching against four children and two adults.

Taunton Crown Court heard Frith would touch, kiss, and make sexual suggestions towards children as young as 10 through to adults in their 20s and 30s.

At the sentencing on Wednesday, Frith was also handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, a restraining order and added to the sex offenders' register.

Each of his victims read out a personal statement in court, detailing the "overwhelming" impact of Frith's offending on their lives.

'Shocked and confused'

One victim wrote: "When this happened, I was a child. I didn't know what sexual assault was. When I saw [Frith], I felt uncomfortable.

"I was frustrated he didn't seem to understand the impact of his actions, and yet I was having to change my life to avoid feeling on edge."

Another said: "When I think back to what happened, I feel angry. Angry at the thought he could do that, and think he could do it again and get away with it.

"I was shocked and confused that he had done this to me. I found it incredibly invasive that he would do this to anyone."

A third victim said they "felt violated" at the mere sight of Frith, and described how his general "presence made [them] uncomfortable".

"The past few months have been really difficult for me. I used to feel I had let myself down, even though it wasn't my fault," they added.

'Horrendous crimes'

Investigating officer, Det Con Martyn Jackson, said: "I have to commend the strength of the victims in coming forward about these horrendous crimes.

"Frith's actions are disgraceful and left his victims feeling degraded and violated.

"The way he touched these girls and women, invaded their personal space and made them feel angry and terrified, is unacceptable.

"His pattern of offending shows there was thought to his actions. He knew the impact he was having on these women and girls and he violated them in a place where they should feel safe."