A COLCHESTER man who sexually assaulted a young girl has been locked behind bars.

Patrick Twomey sexually assaulted a young girl several times over the course of six weeks.

The court heard the 33-year-old told another adult in the wake of the crime “he didn’t know why he had done it” and that he was “sick in the head and needed help”.  

He was arrested by Essex Police on October 16.

Appearing via video link from HMP Norwich, Twomey sat in silence, head bowed, as the evidence was read aloud in court.

Twomey, 33, of Butt Road, Colchester, was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and ordered to pay a victim surcharge at Ipswich Crown Court today (Friday, November 25).

In his sentencing remarks Recorder William Clegg said: “I do accept that you now bitterly regret your conduct and have genuine remorse and have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and made full admissions through the police.”

Twomey had pleaded guilty to three offences of sexually assaulting a child under 13 at an earlier hearing at the same court.

He was also slapped with a sexual harm prevention order.