A MAN has been jailed for seven years for sexually abusing a girl in South Oxfordshire.

Carl Crook, now of Pale Gate Close, Honiton, Devon, was found guilty last Friday of a range of sexual offences.

After a trial the 49-year-old was convicted of five counts of sexual activity with a child, five counts of sexual assault, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

On the first day of his five-day trial he also admitted four counts of taking indecent photos and videos of his victim on August 25, 2010.

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All the sexual abuse took place between 2003 and 2008. The victim cannot be named for legal reasons.

Yesterday at Oxford Crown Court defence barrister Jennifer Edwards said her client was still “loved and respected” by many people who knew him.

She said: “There has never been any meaningful suggestion of coercion or force used by Mr Crook.”

Judge Zoe Smith said the defendant had “incrementally” increased the seriousness of his sexual abuse over time. She said: “It was clear when [your victim] gave evidence during your trial that she found the memories of some of your actions to be distressing.”

Crook was made subject to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order banning unsupervised contact with girls under 16.


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