Man accused of grooming and assaulting 12-year-old girl (From Gazette)

Man accused of grooming and assaulting 12-year-old girl

3:55pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Local News By James Cox

A MAN has appeared in court accused of grooming and sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl.

Mark Anderson, of Oxford Crescent, Clacton, was also allegedly caught with 117 indecent photographs of children on his computer.

He entered no plea to six charges when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

It is alleged that he incited non-penetrative sexual touching with the unnamed 12 year old girl on October 24, and again between October 27 and November 1 last year.

He also faces two charges of grooming the child on the internet and sending sexual pictures of his lower half on October 27 and in the following days until November 1.

Anderson, 27, is also accused of sexually assaulting the girl between October 27 and November 1.

It is alleged that 117 images of minors, rating at level one on the indecency scale, were discovered on his Elite computer tower on October 27.

He was released on conditional bail, but must stay at 60 Newbury Gardens, Upminster.

He is also forbidden from accessing any social networking internet or dating websites.

Anderson will next appear at the new Magistrates’ Court House at St Boltoph’s Circus, Colchester on April 3.