Shamed paedophile jailed for sexually abusing 10-year-old child.

An abuser who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl, turning her into a troubled and self-harming teenager, has been jailed for almost nine years.

Lee Hanson, 55, of Exeter Road, Exmouth, took advantage of the girl's innocence on several occasions when she was 10 and 11 years old. The girl, who was a model student before the abuse, only realized the wrongfulness of his actions when she received sex education at school at the age of 13. The shock had a devastating impact on her life.

Hanson pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, two of assault by penetration, two of inciting a child to sexual activity, and two of sexual assault. He was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison, with a one-year extended license, and placed on the sex offenders' register for life by Recorder Simon Levene at Exeter Crown Court.

Recorder Levene stated, "The details of this case are extremely distressing. Your victim did not realize the gravity of what you did until later, but when she did, her life fell to pieces. She was seriously affected and suffered serious psychological harm from the acts you perpetrated against her. These were an extremely serious series of offences."

Prosecutor Rachel Drake revealed that the offenses only came to light when the girl, now 18, confided in her mother about the abuse that had occurred over a period of 18 months when she was 10 and 11. She explained that the girl only understood the nature of Hanson's actions after receiving sexual education in year nine. "He told her at the time it was 'our little secret,'" said Drake.

The girl's victim impact statement read, "I thought because he was an adult that what he was doing was okay. I did not think he would do anything to harm me because he was a grown-up. I was too young to know anything different at the time but it made me feel uncomfortable and weird. When I realized that it was not okay, I thought it was gross. I wonder if my self-hate issues would have happened if not for his abuse."

The statement went on to describe how the girl began to self-harm, developed an eating disorder, and was eventually asked to leave school due to her aggressive behavior.

Defense attorney Bathsheba Cassel argued that Hanson had been fully transparent with the police and expressed remorse immediately. She pointed out that his guilty pleas spared the victim from having to relive the abuse by giving evidence. Hanson read a letter in court, stating, "I would like to apologize to her. I am so, so sorry. I am deeply remorseful. I would like to apologize to my ex-friends and my family for the shame I have brought upon them."