A former Salt Lake City elementary school teacher's aide has been sentenced to a year in jail for sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl he tutored.
Bird Lockridge Young, 29, wiped a tear from his cheek Friday before telling the judge, "I never knew my actions would affect so many people."
Young was convicted in 3rd District Court of attempted aggravated sex abuse of a child, a first-degree felony, for inappropriately touching the girl over her clothing.
The Salt Lake City man was an aide for a class of learning disabled children at Rosslyn Heights Elementary, 2291 S. 2000 East, about two years ago.
During that time, he befriended an 8-year-old girl and developed a close friendship with both the girl and her family that extended for more than two years.
The girl told police Young touched her on "more than one occasion" from Jan. 1, 2004, through Dec. 1, 2004, according to court documents. He took her on several outings every other week for the past year and spent a lot of time alone with her at his house, court documents state.
Young told investigators that he touched the girl over her clothing. He also admitted to showering with the girl in the family dressing room at the Holladay Lions Recreation Center, according to charging documents.
"I knew what I was doing was wrong. I just wasn't strong enough to make another choice," Young said. "There is no excuse for what I did, and I willingly accept the consequences of my actions."
Defense attorney Ed Brass said Young admits he has a problem with "attraction to young children," but is willing to do whatever he can to address it.
Third District Judge Timothy Hanson sentenced Young to one year in the Salt Lake County Jail, with credit for 22 days served, as a term of his 36-month probation.
Although Young could have received a prison sentence of five years to life, prosecutor Angela Micklos recommended the lesser sentence because of Young's willingness to rehabilitate and his remorse over the crime.
Hanson ordered Young to have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18 and to complete sex-offender treatment.
"This community doesn't stand for — and neither do I — people who take advantage of young children," Hanson said.
In the past, Young also worked at two other Salt Lake City School District elementary schools. He served as a teacher's aide in the special education program at Highland Park Elementary and was in charge of the after-school sports program at Backman Elementary. District spokesman Jason Olsen said since Young was an aide in all three positions, Young would not have been left alone with children.
E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com