Child Sex Assault - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Child Sex Assault – A LEIGH businessman has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a child.

Child Sex Assault - A LEIGH businessman has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a child.

A LEIGH businessman has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a child.

The jury of seven women and five men unanimously agreed after their short deliberations on Friday, November 15 at Basildon Crown Court.

Matthew Rattenbury, 42, of Chestnut Avenue in Gosfield, was convicted after a three-day trial in which his victim did not testify.

Prosecutors relied on an eyewitness who took videos of the offenses, so she could give them to police as evidence.

Dressed in a dark suit, Rattenbury repeatedly put his hands to his face and closed his eyes after the verdict was read, prompting sobs from the public gallery.

The court were shown the videos shot by the eyewitness who told Basildon Crown Court that she stumbled upon alleged assault in progress and “began filming what she was seeing as evidence of what is considered by the prosecution to be the sexual abuse of a child.”

Rattenbury co-owner of the One Hundred Club gym in Rectory Grove, claims he was giving the girl an innocent massage.

Prosecutor Natalie Bird stated that even if it began as a legitimate massage, there was “no reasonable excuse” for the actions captured in the videos.

“The prosecution will say that you can and should be sure that Matthew Rattenbury has no defence.”

Presiding judge Recorder Nicholas Bacon KC told the court: “At least to my mind, there is no question that the custody threshold is going to be passed. An immediate custodial sentence is very likely.”

Recorder Bacon ordered the probation service to complete a pre-sentence report, which will assess Rattenbury’s ongoing risk.

Adding that a custodial sentence as likely, Recorder Bacon said: “This is a very serious matter and you should be under no illusion about that.”

Rattenbury has been released on conditional bail until his sentencing date of December 10.

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