A WOMAN accused of sexually molesting a young girl 15 years ago pleaded guilty to common assault.
As the trial of Karen Walker (30) was about to get underway at Downpatrick Crown Court on Wednesday, the accused told the court she was "not guilty of indecent assault but guilty of common assault" between January 1, 1998 and February 1, 1999.
Prosecuting lawyer Samuel Magee told trial Judge Piers Grant the Crown accepted her plea.
He asked that the other counts - one of indecent assault and three alleged acts of gross indecency with a child - remain on file.
Walker, of Bexley Road in Bangor, was accused of sexually abusing the girl between January 1, 1998 and January 17, 2000 when the child would have been aged between seven and 10.
It was the second time Walker was due to go on trial over allegations that she sexually abused the child, allegedly telling her it was their "wee thing".
The first trial ended earlier this month after the jury could not agree a verdict.
Mr Magee told the court on Wednesday that the child was around seven or eight when Walker, then aged 14, touched her "unlawfully and without the consent of the victim" when they were alone in a bedroom.
Imposing a £100 fine and ordering Walker to give her victim £500 as compensation, the judge said the guilty plea should be of "considerable comfort" to the victim and had saved her from "unpleasantness" in having to testify again.
