Sex offender assaulted under-age girl.

Grantham Man Jailed for 11 Years for Sexually Assaulting Under-Age Girl

A Grantham man, Nicholas Manning (50), of Edwards Street, was sentenced to 11 years in prison today (Friday, August 16) for sexually assaulting an under-age girl. Manning was found guilty of three counts of assault by touching a girl under 13 years old following an eight-day trial at Lincoln Crown Court in July.

The jury also convicted Manning of one count of assault by penetration of a girl under 13 years old. However, he was acquitted of two other charges of rape and assault by touching. All offenses occurred on a single day in January of this year.

In a powerful impact statement read in court, the victim described the lasting effects of the assault, including difficulty sleeping, flashbacks, and eating problems. She also expressed the emotional toll, finding it difficult to talk about the incidents and experiencing a decline in her social life.

The victim's mother recounted the devastating impact the court process had on her and her daughter, describing a feeling of numbness, sickness, and disruption to her daughter's schooling. "It broke my heart to see her go through it," she added.

Chris Jeyes, representing Manning, argued that the psychological impact on the victim was not at the most severe level. He also maintained that Manning had not intentionally used alcohol to facilitate the offenses. "This is a defendant with no similar previous convictions," Mr. Jeyes stated.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight emphasized the vulnerability of Manning's victim and the repeated nature of the assault while she was in and out of consciousness. "There was clearly a great impact from your offending," Judge Sjolin Knight added.

Manning was also placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be required to register as a Sex Offender for life.