A petition demanding changes to the law to stop sex offenders walking free from court has collected 8,600 names - while a second has been signed by more than 2,300.

There’s been outcry at the suspended jail term handed last week to paedophile Charles Cover.

Cover, aged 66, of Christian Street, Peel, was found guilty of gross indecency and indecent assault of a minor by a jury.

The family of the victim were visibly shocked as Cover walked free from court with an 18-month suspended sentence.

Now a protest for tougher sentences is planned for August.

Between May 2015 and July 2016, Cover assaulted a girl in a motorhome. She was aged 11 or 12 at the time.

The victim’s mother said Cover had been someone they had trusted and his actions had devastated the family.

Sentencing him, Deemster Kainth described him as a ’very stupid and foolish man’ who had deprived his victim of a wonderful childhood.

A change.org petition 'Change the laws on the Isle of Man to stop paedophiles walking free' has collected 8,600 names.

It has been set up by a woman who said she was ’sickened to the core’ to read about the court case in last week’s Isle of Man Courier. She said: ’I cannot begin to imagine how I would feel if a man I thought I could trust had done this to my child.

’To then watch him walk free where there is a risk of my child seeing him on the street or worse him doing it to another child.

’Something needs to change. I feel that changes need to be made to the justice system. People who commit these crimes need to serve time and be punished for what they have done.’

A second change.org petition entitled 'Less lenient sentencing for paedophiles' has collected 2,302 names so far.

A victim impact statement said Cover’s actions had left a terrible impact on the girl’s life.

She has suffered from anxiety and been kept awake at night thinking about what happened.

It had impacted on her school work and she had also been left feeling unable to do normal activities like having sleepovers at friends’ homes.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said his client had acted ’spontaneously’ after drinking heavily and that he continues to deny the offences ever happened.

A social enquiry report had recommended a suspended sentence to allow for one-to-one probation. It said custody would not stop him re-offending.

Deemster Kainth handed Cover an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months to allow for probation work.

Cover will also be subject to a 12-month supervision order, be placed on the sex offenders’ register and be subject to a sexual offences prevention order for seven years.

He must also pay the victim £1,000 in compensation.

A protest for tougher sentences for sex offenders is planned for August 28 at 12 on Deemsters’ Walk, outside the Courthouse.