A BRADFORD man who groped three young girls in a “disgusting and perverted” manner by squeezing and cupping their breasts has avoided being sent to jail.

Sona Miah, 48, was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, having previously admitted four charges of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13.

The offences took place between 2011 and 2013, when the victims were aged between seven and 14.

Prosecutor Ian Howard told the court that Miah would touch the girls inappropriately by hugging them over the top of their clothes.

He said the offending only actually stopped in February last year, when one of the girls confided in a teacher and the authorities became involved.

Miah, of Byron Street, Barkerend, Bradford, was arrested and interviewed and denied any sexual motivation in the touching, only pleading guilty to the offences on the day of a scheduled trial last month.

In victim impact statements read to the court, each girl was said to have been “shocked and angry” by Miah’s actions, which led them to become isolated, lacking in confidence, and unable to concentrate at school.

Judge Jonathan Rose said Miah’s offending had caused “great upset and distress” to each of his three victims.

“You have pleaded guilty to a disgusting and perverted course of behaviour against very young girls,” he said.

“You were, and still are, a happily married man, and your offending can only be explained by there being in you a profound and wholly inappropriate sexual attraction to children.

“Since pleading guilty, you have expressed deep remorse and a determination to change so you will not offend again in the future.

“I ask myself whether it is necessary to send you immediately to prison, and I conclude it is not.”

Miah was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years, given 180 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to complete a 60-day sex offender treatment programme.

He must also register as a sex offender for the next ten years.