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September 30, 2004updated 22 Nov 2022 12:09pm

Reporter is jailed for indecently assaulting boy

By Press Gazette

A Maidenhead Advertiser reporter has been jailed for 12 months for indecently assaulting a schoolboy.

Oliver Rowland was caught out when an appeal to trace the child’s attacker was about to be published in his newspaper (Press Gazette 13 August).

Recognising his description in the police publicity handout, Rowland went to his editor and confessed the sex attacker suspect was probably him.

The 32-year-old reporter was sentenced at Reading Crown Court.

Judge Zoe Smith was told that Rowland fondled a 12-year-old boy in a park in Maidenhead after pretending to be looking for missing keys by rummaging through the youngster’s trouser pocket.

Jailing him, Judge Smith said: “This was a very frightening experience for a young boy. This matter is so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

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The jury had previously heard how the senior reporter had accused the child of stealing his keys before pouncing on him on 4 October last year.

The frightened boy then ran off and Rowland was said to have fled the scene.

Judge Smith told Rowland that he would be put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

Rowland had denied the charge.

by Anita Howells

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

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