Man who stalked and sexually assaulted Gospel Oak schoolgirl walks free from court

A stalker who sexually assaulted and repeatedly followed a Gospel Oak schoolgirl has walked free from court.

Tony Coyle, 51, of Ferdinand Street, Camden Town, was yesterday handed a 16-week suspended sentence for deliberately brushing past a 14-year-old schoolgirl, touching her breast with his arm and shoulder, and stalking her in the Gospel Oak area in September.

The sentence meant Coyle walked free from Highbury Corner Magistrates Court and he will not have to go to jail unless he commits another crime.

He was also given a restraining order, which prevents him from entering the NW5 postal area for three years, except to visit his GP with a member of his family.

The court heard that Coyle, who has no previous convictions, attempted suicide after his arrest in late September and has a history of mental illness.

He was found guilty last month of stalking causing serious alarm or distress and sexual assault of a female.

The trial revealed that he watched and followed the teenager on eight consecutive weekday mornings in September.

The schoolgirl and her friends also saw Coyle, who they called “the weird guy”, hanging around outside their school three times.

Coyle, who has been declared unfit to work, was ordered to pay £230 in costs.