A Hastings man is starting a 12-year prison sentence for a series of sexual offences against a young girl more than 25 years ago.

Alan David Oakman, 65, a commercial cleaner, of Fellows Road, Hastings, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday last week when he appeared by videolink from prison.

He had pleaded guilty on March 4th to six counts of gross indecency and three counts of indecent assault on the girl who was then aged between seven and 12, between 1989 and 1994, in Hastings and Bexhill.

A further offence of indecent assault on the same girl was ordered to lie on the court file.

He also pleaded guilty to three counts of making 32 indecent images of children, taken from the Internet, found on his computer when he was arrested in September 2018.

Detective Constable Nicola Westgate of the Hastings Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: “The assaults on the girl were first reported to the police in 1995, but at that time she felt unable to give the full details of her traumatic experiences that could have enabled prosecution.

“However she came back to us in 2018 and disclosed further information that she felt too frightened to reveal 23 years earlier.

“We immediately began enquiries and arrested Oakman. His computer was seized and the indecent images were found, taken from the Internet, which he had been viewing the day before his arrest, indicating a continuing a sexual interest in children.

“We always encourage any victims of sexual abuse to come forward and talk to us in confidence. You will be taken seriously, you will have access to expert support and advice through specially trained officers, and we will investigate to seek justice for you wherever possible.”

For information of support and advice available to victims of sexual abuse, see the Sussex Police website.