A FORMER Scout leader who abused a teenage girl at Butchers Coppice has been spared a prison sentence.

David Oliver, of Coombe Gardens in Bournemouth, was convicted of six counts of indecent assault following a five-day trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Jurors heard the defendant, now 51, kissed and sexually assaulted his young victim on a number of occasions in the late 1990s.

The girl, who was under the age of 16, was targeted in the grounds around the Scout camp and an office at the site.

On one occasion, she was assaulted in Oliver’s car on the way to a camp in the New Forest.

The defendant was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years and ordered to complete an activity requirement and a two-year supervision order.

He will also be on the sex offenders register for a decade.

Oliver appeared before a judge just weeks after another former Scout leader, 62-year-old Paul Cherrett, was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Cherrett’s victims say he was free to abuse boys for decades after Scout bosses allowed him to continue volunteering at Butchers Coppice.

The defendant, of King Richard Drive in Bournemouth, admitted 10 counts of indecent assault of a male person, three of indecency with a child and four of possessing indecent images of children.

He also pleaded guilty to indecently touching a male aged 14 or under, which related to an offence committed last year.

Cherrett’s abuse spanned 40 years, with the earliest offences committed in 1975.

It was alleged that fears over Cherrett’s conduct with young boys had been raised with his superiors at the Scout Association in the early 1980s.

After bosses were made aware, he was banned from leading meetings.

However, he continued to act as treasurer for the organisation in Bournemouth and even worked at the Butchers Coppice tuck shop.

A spokesperson from the Scout Association said the organisation is “aware of recent court proceedings involving David Oliver”.

“The Scout Association has co-operated with the statutory agencies during this investigation and it is appropriate that he is being published for his crimes,” the spokesperson said.

“We can confirm that he will never again be allowed to work within the Scout movement.

“The Scout Association carries out stringent vetting of all adults who work with young people and requires them to work to a strict code of practice outlined in the ‘Young People First’ code of practice.”

Detective Constable Jo Shewbridge, of Dorset Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Oliver used and abused his position of trust in the Scouting movement to sexually assault his young victim.

“I wish to praise the bravery of his victim to come forward and report the offences.

“Dorset Police takes all sexual offences extremely seriously and we have a specialist team of officers who will investigate and ensure all victims are supported.

“I would ask that anyone who has been affected by this case to please contact police.”

To make a non-urgent report of child abuse, visit dorset.police.uk or call 101.