Roger James Picton (62) resigned from his job at the school and was also suspended from working with the Sea Cadets Corps after he admitted indecently assaulting the girl on 9 September last year.
Described in court by his defence lawyer as ‘a caring, honest, trustworthy and reliable man’, Picton had worked as assistant caretaker at the school for four years and had been involved with the Sea Cadets for 20.
His friendship with the girl was said to have begun after she sent him a text message asking for the phone number of another member of school staff.
What happened next was described by his lawyer as ‘an error of judgment’, but the Magistrate, Ian Le Marquand, said it was a crime that should not be trivialised.
