Judge praises girl for reporting 'sickening' abuse
Northumbria PoliceA judge has praised a girl for finding the strength to report the "sickening" sexual abuse she suffered.
Ian Hunter, 33, molested his young victim then made her go through the ordeal of giving evidence at Newcastle Crown Court where she told him he was a "coward" and she would "never forget" what he had done..
As he jailed Hunter for eight years, judge Tim Gittins said the girl's testimony was "painful and powerful" and he hoped she would soon recognise herself as a "survivor" rather than a victim.
Hunter, from Ashington, had denied wrongdoing but was found guilty of sexual assaulting a child under the age of 13.
The court heard he had been assessed as being of "limited intellect and understanding", but Gittins told him: "I am satisfied, despite your limitations, you knew what you were doing was seriously wrong."
The judge said Hunter had groped the girl in a "sickening fashion" and the molester had "stripped" her of a normal and happy childhood.
Gittins said he hoped she would in time "recognise her strength" for reporting Hunter and giving evidence at trial.
"Hopefully she will end up feeling, sooner rather than later, as not a victim but a survivor of [Hunter's] abuse," the judge said.
Hunter will also have to sign the sex offenders register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order limiting his contact with children indefinitely.
