A child sex offender who caused life-long trauma to his victim has been jailed – nearly 40 years after he first abused her.
John Harris, now aged 67, assaulted the 11-year-old girl on a number of occasions at an address in Nottingham.
The abuse had a profound effect on the victim, who later became addicted to drugs as a result of what happened to her.
After many years of struggle, she finally approached Nottinghamshire Police and an investigation was started.
Harris was interviewed in 2018 and answered “no comment” to all the questions put to him.
Detectives spoke to several witnesses who recalled being told about the abuse at the time.
Harris, of Denman Street, Nottingham, continued to deny all knowledge of the offending until April 2023, when he pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (6 October) Harris was jailed for four years.
He was also added to the sex offenders’ register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order that will closely restrict his behaviour once he is released from jail.
Detective Constable Tracey Marshall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Harris committed these offences a very long time ago and may have put what happened to the back of his mind as he went about his day-to-day life.
“For his victim, however , these offences have had a very profound and long-lasting effect.
“Understandably, she struggled to come to terms with what had happened to her at such age, and suffered considerable trauma in the years afterwards.
“This abuse really has had a life-long impact on her and I am full of admiration for the determination she has shown throughout this process. I hope this sentence provides her with some comfort.
“Justice has finally caught up with Harris and I am pleased he will now be going to jail.
“I hope this case also encourages other victims of non-recent sexual abuse to come forward and tell us about what has happened to them.”
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