Grinning Bradford man abuses schoolgirl on the street

Bradford Crown Court heard that Bartosz Ryfka grinned at his teenage victim and “walked away laughing” after the incident on June 3 last year.

The girl rushed home and told her father what had happened, who then called the police.

Prosecutor Fen Greatley-Hirsch said Ryfka, aged 20, of Redwood Crescent, Bierley, Bradford, was arrested at his home on June 10.

He denied knowing about the incident and told officers: “I didn’t do anything.”

When police confiscated his cellphone, it was found to contain indecent videos of young children aged eight or less, with the youngest being just one year old.

Some of the children were apparently “visibly disturbed” by what had been done to them.

In a statement read out in court, the victim said she had been “constantly panicked” since the attack. A friend’s statement said she had lost a lot of weight and seemed withdrawn.

Shortly after his arrest, Ryfka pleaded guilty to sexual assault and possession of indecent images.

Simon Hustler exonerated the defendant, saying the actions of Ryfka, who he described as “a loner his entire young life,” were “totally spontaneous” and “totally out of character.”

He read to the court a letter from Ryfka in which he expressed his “sadness, grief and regret” about his actions.

It said, among other things: “I swear on everything, even on my life, that I will never do such a thing again.”

Mrs Recorder Taryn Turner told Ryfka: “You behaved very poorly in committing the offence and then increased the fear and terror of the young girl by grinning at her afterwards.”

“I hope you hang your head in shame, because what you did to that poor girl that afternoon was horrific.

“What you may not realize is that pain and suffering have been inflicted on young children for your own sexual gratification. Sometimes these effects last a lifetime.

“Never do that again.”

She sentenced Ryfka to eight months’ imprisonment for both offences, suspended for 18 months, to be served concurrently.

He was sentenced to complete 250 hours of unpaid work, attend 50 days of rehabilitation activity and be subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

He must also register on the sex offenders register.

Recorder Turner ordered the seizure and destruction of Ryfka’s mobile phone.