Beauty pageant judge Charlotte Holl, from Newmarket, groomed and sexually assaulted young girl

A Newmarket woman who groomed and sexually assaulted a young girl has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Charlotte Holl, 25, of Elizabeth Avenue, who is a beauty pageant judge, exchanged hundreds of text and social media messages with the girl.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Holl, who pleaded guilty to four offences of sexual assault and one of being an adult who met a girl following grooming, had no previous convictions.

Prosecuting, Robert Sadd said Holl had touched the girl’s inner leg over her clothing, kissed her and put her arm around the girl’s waist.

Holl had suggested to the girl that she was considering living with her and that they could go to Florida together.

Mr Sadd said that Holl had given the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, alcohol and cigarettes during the time she was being groomed.

Sentencing Holl, Judge Rupert Overbury, while acknowledging a Probation Service report which said she was vulnerable, told her: “It’s plain to me, as it was to the probation service, you certainly did have the intention of going further than kissing.”

Judge Overbury sentenced Holl to 18 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered her to complete 300 hours of unpaid community work.

In addition, Holl will be under Probation Service supervision for two years and sign the SexualOffences Register for five years.

Judge Overbury made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order which bans her from having any unsupervised contact with a child aged under 16 and from attending any pageant anywhere in the UK where girls aged under 16 are taking part.

Defending, Duncan O’Donnell said Holl was deeply ashamed of what she had done.

Holl appeared to be vulnerable and immature, said Mr O’Donnell.

Holl had been “horrified” by the realisation of what she had done and co-operated fully when interviewed by police, said Mr O’Donnell.

He added: “These offences are never going to happen again.”