A Gosport man who sexually abused a child for a number of years has been jailed.
Shaun Healy, 73, formerly of Maynard Close in Gosport, abused a girl over a four-year period. The assaults began when the child was under 13.
In March 2020, police were contacted about the abuse and Healy was charged with a number of offences after an investigation.
The offences were: four counts of assault by penetration of a girl under 13 and rape of a girl under 13.
Healy denied the charges but was found guilty of the offences following the trial that began on December 6, 2021 at Portsmouth Crown Court.
He appeared at the same court on Friday (January 14) and was handed a 10-year prison sentence with a five-year extended licence period.
Following the sentencing, DC Marie Todd said: "This was a shocking and prolonged period of sexual abuse perpetrated against a child.
"The bravery shown by the girl in this case has been outstanding, and I want to commend her for having the courage to talk to police about what happened and for helping us bring Healy to justice.
"No child should ever have to suffer abuse, and I want to encourage anyone who's been affected by this type of offending to speak out about it. You can talk to the police, someone you trust, or speak with any of the excellent support services available if you don’t feel comfortable contacting the police."
Anyone who has been affected by abuse can contact police on 101 and speak to an officer in confidence.
