11-year-old sexually abused by a dance teacher

A DANCE teacher followed an 11-year-old girl as she walked alone to school before running toward her and sexually assaulting her.

Arvin Odell, 20, fled after touching the frightened child under her skirt but was later arrested.

Odell, who is studying at De Montfort University acted because of a fetish, Leicester Crown Court heard.

The incident happened near Braunstone Park at 7.40am on September 23. Later that morning, police went to his house in Gooding Avenue, Braunstone.

He appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court the next day and pleaded guilty to sexual assault by touching of a girl under 13.

The case was sent to the crown court for sentencing.

Lynsey Knott, prosecuting, told the court the youngster had been walking to school alone in her school uniform in Overpark Avenue, Braunstone, when she first noticed Odell, who lives in the street.

He walked behind her for a while, then crossed to the opposite side of the road and appeared to hesitate.

Then he crossed back and crouched down before rushing towards the girl, Ms Knott said.

“She described feeling worried and scared and how there was no one else around at the time.

“He was a dance teacher and taught children and said he had a fetish for legs.”

Anna Soubry, representing Odell, told Judge Mark Watson her client had already spent nearly six weeks in custody and was “riven with remorse and shame”.

Odell was given a three-year community order with 43 days of sexual offending group work and a further 55 days of rehabilitation work.

He was ordered to sign the sex offender register for the next five years.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the next 10 years, banning him from being alone with anyone under 16.