A woman has spoken out about the devastating impact of four years of sexual abuse at the hands of Michael Harvey, 47, who has been jailed for 10 years.

Harvey, of Lulworth Road, Fulwood, Preston, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempted rape and multiple counts of sexual assault against the victim, who was just eight years old when the abuse began.

The court heard how Harvey attempted to rape the girl in her sleep and subjected her to numerous sexual assaults over a period of four years, leaving her feeling "sick to the stomach" and struggling to cope with everyday life.

Judge Richard Gioserano said the woman had endured "years" of fear and shame before finding the courage to report the abuse. He described Harvey's actions as "corrupting" and "distorting" the victim's childhood, leaving her with lasting trauma.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I find it hard to cope with anything around me and I just feel like I am on my own all the time, with no-one to talk to. It's like I am completely alone. My life feels like it is crumbling. I don't even feel like I am living - more that I exist. It is so hard to forget something that haunts me and makes me feel sick to my stomach. This man has left me feeling worthless."

Harvey, who expressed remorse in a letter to the judge, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with an extended licence of one year upon his release. He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and notification requirements indefinitely.