A CHILD abuser has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexual offenses committed against a teenage child in Bradford.

Andrew Carroll, 58, pleaded not guilty to two charges of non-recent indecent assault, but a jury at Bradford Crown Court found him guilty on both charges after a trial.

Carroll, now of Northumberland Street, Salford, appeared before Recorder Christopher Rose and was sentenced for his abuse of the teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

In a victim impact statement summarized by prosecutor Camille Morland, the complainant described how the abuse had always been in their mind, but they were finally able to report the allegations because they felt more likely to be believed now.

Barrister Clare Walsh, representing Carroll, stated that he had suffered brain hemorrhages in 2021 and now had significant mental health and physical difficulties. She also mentioned that her client suffers from claustrophobia and described him as a very unwell man with complex needs.

Recorder Rose highlighted the particular vulnerability of the complainant, who had concealed the abuse for many years before finding the courage to report it. "The victim impact statement speaks of the lifelong effect that your abuse has had," stated the judge.

Carroll will also be required to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life.