A BARMAN from Barrow has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for a string of sex offences he committed as a teenager on a nine-year-old girl.
Richard Thomas Pickering, of Athol Street, Barrow, appeared at Barrow Crown Court for sentencing yesterday after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual assault on a female child under 13 and one count of assault by penetration.
The 23-year-old committed the offences over a period of time when he was 15 and 16 years old.
Her Honour Judge Jacqueline Beech said that the "significant psychological harm" his victim has suffered was a factor to consider.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, the girl, now aged 16, said that she has difficulties sleeping at night and suffers from flashbacks, sometimes as many as five a day.
She also wrote that she self harms, wears baggy clothes to hide her body and "cannot imagine herself in a relationship with a man".
The barman had previously suggested that his victim, then aged between nine and 10, had consented to what he called "sexual experimentation".
Judge Beech added: "Your victim was a vulnerable young girl who trusted you.
"It was a course of conduct and an element of grooming.
"To do what you did knowing she would not refuse was certainly a significant breach of that trust."
The incidents were only reported to authorities years later after the victim attended sex education classes at her school.
A statement written by Pickering's family asked the Crown to consider a non-custodial sentence, describing him as "not resilient and vulnerable" and labelling the attacks as "uncharacteristic".
Judge Beech sentenced the Pickering to 27 months for the offence of assault by penetration and to 12 months for the charges of sexual assault, to run concurrently.
Pickering must serve a minimum of half the sentence in custody.
Temporary Detective Inspector Jason McKenna added: "Cumbria Constabulary will not stop in its drive to bring offenders to justice and I hope that victims of such offences have the confidence to come forward and report it.
"Any report will be treated sensitively and professionally."
If you wish to report a crime or speak to an officer about an incident, contact Cumbria police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 111 555.
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