A Wigton man whose prolonged sexual abuse of a young girl left her so traumatised she suffered flashbacks has been jailed for two years.
John George Mossop, 69, had earlier pleaded guilty to eight charges, all relating to his sexual abuse of the girl over a four year period.
He admitted six sexual assaults, all specimen charges and two further serious sexual offences.
Carlisle crown court heard today how the abuse began when Mossop’s victim was 14.
Kim Whittlestone, prosecuting, said that the girl – now an adult – had contacted police after she began to continuously suffer flashbacks.
She was left feeling extremely distressed and felt she had to contact the police.
Miss Whittlestone said the woman recalled feeling terrified during the abuse.
The barrister said: “During those years, he told her she must not say anything.”
She later told police the experience had left in a total mess mentally. “She tried to put these matters behind her but felt she had no choice but to contact the police.”
When he was arrested, Mossop, of Greenacres, admitted abusing the girl, saying that he did it for his own gratification.
Miss Whittlestone added: “He was remorseful, and wished he hadn’t done that and could not explain why he’d committed the offences.”
Defence barrister Greg Hoare said Mossop was a man of previous good character, who was the primary carer for his poorly wife.
Mr Hoare said the defendant, with his limited experience and advanced age, would face a difficult task adjusting to prison life.
He added: “Mr Mossop’s overriding preoccupation was not been with the impact of a custodial sentence on him but with the impact it will have on his wife. He’ll feel most acutely the impact on her.
“He feels he’s let his wife down badly at a critical time in her life.”
Passing sentence, Judge Paul Batty QC said of Mossop’s victim: “It’s plain from what she’s said that the abuse has left her scarred emotionally, and for years afterwards, she suffered flashbacks.”
Mossop will be placed on the Sex Offender’s Register for ten years and will not be allowed unsupervised access to children under 16, nor allowed to work with them.
