Andrew Hopkins: Newborough man charged after sexually touching a 9-year-old

A nine-year-old girl didn’t tell anyone she had been sexually touched by a man 30 years older than her because she didn’t want to get herself or the man “into trouble”.

A Newborough man has plead guilty to sexually touching a 9-year-old girl last year.

Andrew Hopkins, 40, plead guilty to charges involving sexually touching a person under the age of 16 in County Court on Friday and will remain in custody until he is sentenced.

The court heard Hopkins “tickled” the pre-teen at his home beneath her undies and kissed her on the lips.

His victim didn’t tell anyone until a week later.

The little girl didn’t want to get herself or Hopkins “into trouble” by telling anyone about what happened.

In a victim impact statement, the young child said she was “sad, mad and scared” since the attack.

She also said that she was “scared to sit on people’s knees”.

An impact statement from the victim’s mother said she was “horrified” to hear about the assault on her 9-year-old.

Her daughter once expressed an interest in unicorns but “hates them” now because they were gifts from Hopkins.

“It saddens my heart to see my daughter lose interest in her passions,” she said.

The mother has thought about moving her family to Queensland for a “new life” as she watches her daughter struggle to deal with the impacts from the abuse.

“She has gained weight and is now getting bullied because of it and now she wants to change schools.”

Judge Kevin Doyle said a combined sentence of imprisonment and corrections order will likely be imposed.

“Imprisonment is a message to him not to do it again,” Mr Doyle said.

The matter was adjourned until sentencing with Hopkins remaining in custody.