Man, 70, jailed for 'disgusting' acts on child

A man who committed "disgusting crimes" against a child in the 1990s has been jailed.

On Thursday, 70-year-old Martin Cowley, of Checketts Close, Pershore, appeared at Worcester Crown Court and was sentenced to 11 years and nine months.

He was found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 on 14 May, following a four-day trial.

Det Sgt Louise Sutton said: "We would like to pay tribute to the victim for their courage in coming forward and giving the evidence to us that has led to this successful prosecution."

"They have waited 30 years for this day," she said, adding that the force hoped the sentencing would "help them to move on with their lives and that it encourages other victims of sexual abuse to come forward".

Sutton said: "He may have thought he had got away with his disgusting crimes but today shows he has not escaped justice."

As well as his sentence, Cowley has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order which bans him from contacting under 18s.

He was also handed a 15-year restraining order not to contact his victim.

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