Stone, of Back Road, Lamarsh, Bures, who admitted two offences of sexually assaulting a girl under 13 by touching her leg between January 2016 and March 2018.

He also admitted an offence of sexual communication with a child in relation to another schoolgirl.

Stone, 30, was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years, a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work.

He was also ordered to take part in a Horizon rehabilitation programme and to pay £1,000 prosecution costs.

He was also banned from contacting the victims for five years and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for ten years.

Sentencing him Judge Rupert Overbury said Stone had no previous convictions for similar offences and was capable of being rehabilitated.

Sasha Bailey for Stone said her client's job as a publican had come to an end as a result of the offences and he was now working as a chef.

She said at the time of the offences Stone was "going through a period of self-destruction".