Laughing teenage groper Connor Lawrence has had the smile taken off his face - by a jury.

The 19-year-old, from Dover, spooked a couple returning from a Halloween party in October last year.

Donna East, prosecuting, told Canterbury Crown Court how Lawrence suddenly appeared behind the couple, who were in fancy dress costumes.

The 17-year-old victim and her boyfriend became concerned and kept looking behind them at the young man, who was "following very closely".

"They were slightly spooked because of the time of night and because of the quiet location and maybe because they were returning from a Halloween party and were wearing fancy dress costumes," she said.

Lawrence, of Crabble Lane, River, near Dover, suddenly shouted: "What are you looking at?" and became very aggressive, the prosecution said.

"He began to square up to his victim’s boyfriend and became more and more aggressive and the girl became very upset, telling him to leave," said Mrs East.

"She then feared her boyfriend was about to be hit and put herself between them – fearing if her boyfriend was hit there was a chance he might fall into the river.

"As she did this, Lawrence lifted up her skirt and groped her and as she screamed he walked away laughing."

"lawrence lifted up her skirt and groped her and as she screamed he walked away laughing…” – donna east, prosecuting

Two police officers on patrol in Lower Road, River, saw the girl in distress "crying uncontrollably" and spotted Lawrence walking away "repeatedly looking round" and stopped to question him.

But they were distracted when the victim's parents – who had been alerted by their daughter’s mobile phone call – and the girl’s father became angry and Lawrence took the opportunity to leave the area.

He was arrested days later at his home and denied the attack, claiming he had been to Tesco’s in his car which had then run out of petrol.

Lawrence claimed he was walking to a friend’s house for a lift when he was confronted by the couple, but he denied molesting the girl.

A jury took just a few hours before finding him guilty of indecent assault and he was remanded in custody for a month pending sentence.