The mother of a teenager – who was groped by a man on Deal seafront – has told how the child now wants to leave the town.

The 14-year-old was left frightened by the incident involving 34-year-old drunk Luke Pearson in August last year.

The victim was sitting with another 14-year-old, who was also touched up by Pearson, of The Beach, Deal.

The two, together with a third friend, had gone to the paddling pool in Deal and were sitting on a bench when Pearson approached them.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how he sat between two of the girls – and began asking if they were single, asked their names and if they would go out with an older man.

Pearson, who smelled of alcohol, then asked them about boyfriends which made one of the girls scared when he traced the pattern of her leggings.

The girl’s mum, who sat through the court hearing, said: “What happened left my daughter traumatised. She now wants to leave the town because she no longer feels safe.”

Pearson was given an eight month jail sentence suspended for 15 months and ordered to do 240 hours of unpaid work for the community.

“I am disgusted that he has been allowed out on the streets. He frightened these young girls" - the victim's mother

But the victim’s mother said after the hearing: “I am disgusted that he has been allowed out on the streets. He frightened these young girls.

“Every time my daughter sees him walking around town it just brings it all back.

"She doesn’t want to go out anymore. She has really changed and hasn’t been sleeping and is now on anti-depressants

The court heard that Pearson then traced the writing of one of the other girls “moving his finger up her thigh”- forcing her to stand up to stop the assault.

Pearson has a criminal record with 70 offences – although none for sexual offences. He pleaded guilty to two sex offences involving children.

Judge Heather Norton told him: “You touched two of those three girls on their legs, touched one on her bottom. You were also asking them personal details about themselves, trying to engage them in sex talk.

“What you did was unwelcomed and they were left upset. Yet you maintain you have little recollection of your offences.”