Sexually abusing a young girl more than 10 years ago.

Man Jailed for Sexually Abusing Young Girl Despite Denying Guilt

A man who maintains his innocence despite being found guilty by a jury of sexually abusing a young girl over a decade ago has been sentenced to prison.

Stuart Pyle was convicted of inciting or causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and six counts of sexual activity with a child following a trial in March. However, during sentencing at Preston Crown Court on Monday, Judge Graham Knowles stated that Pyle continues to claim his victim is lying and labeled him a dangerous offender posing a risk to other children.

The court heard how Pyle, 47, began abusing the girl when she was approximately eight years old in 2010, with the abuse continuing for two to three years. The abuse escalated from kissing to touching over clothing and eventually progressed to Pyle touching the girl under her clothes. On two or three occasions, he even forced her to hold his penis while he was urinating.

In mitigation for Pyle, Kimberley Obrusik argued that her client should not receive any credit for remorse due to his persistent denial of the charges. She stated, "While he doesn't accept he is the reason or the author of the victim's trauma, he knows she did suffer trauma, and he holds no malice against her for what did happen to her. What Mr. Pyle wishes to say is that he hopes, regardless of his lack of admission, that she can work through her traumas."

During sentencing, Judge Knowles stated, "She did not realize what was being done to her was sexual assault, of course she didn't, she was a child and was being abused and groomed by you. She could not tell another person for years and eventually she told her mother. She could not even tell the police or social services, not even when you were caught with indecent images of children in 2015. She felt fear, and feared if she reported you, you would come after her. She had panic attacks and had to quit three jobs. All of these things are because of offending by you. What you did was terrible. She had counselling but it was too painful. In her personal statement she talks of the shame she feels but that shame should be yours. All this tells me is that this is absolutely the kind of thing that happens when a child is sexually abused. The blame does not lie with her, it lies with you."

Judge Knowles continued, "Within years of committing the offences you took to the internet to satisfy your desires and were given a suspended sentence in 2015 for possessing indecent images. And when the offending against this victim was put to you, you refused to comment. She has had to wait 27 months since first being interviewed by the police until today. There's no remorse on your behalf and you still say she's a liar. This has caused her distress. You were manipulative and you groomed her. Are you a dangerous offender? There is a significant risk of serious harm being done by you to other children in the future, so yes, you are."

Pyle, of Washington Court, Blackpool, was sentenced to eight years in prison and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. He was also subject to a sexual harm prevention order restricting him from living with or being in the same house as a girl under 16 without appropriate supervision.