A CUMBRIAN man in his mid-30s has been sentenced for sexually abusing a primary school aged girl when he was a teenager.

Ryan Robinson, 35, had pleaded not guilty to repeatedly abusing the girl over a two-year period, beginning when he was aged 14. After a trial, the jury convicted him of five offences.

They were three indecent assaults, and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The defendant, from Old Hutton, near Kendal, was cleared of raping the same girl.

At Carlisle Crown Court, prosecutor Kim Whittlestone outlined the facts.

The victim reported the abuse when she was aged 25, having realised when she had grown up that what happened to her was wrong, said the barrister. “She struggled with it as a result,” said Miss Whittlestone.

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The woman, supported by a friend, had eventually confronted the defendant and he had admitted “playing boyfriends and girlfriends” with the girl but he said there was no malice intended and he was “not a monster.”

The barrister then read aloud parts of the woman’s victim impact statement.

“She indicates that much of her life has been marred by the defendant’s conduct,” said Miss Whittlestone. The victim’s childhood was overshadowed by the abuse, which left her feeling “ruined”.

Describing the aftermath of reporting the abuse, the woman said it had been like a “bomb had gone off in her life.”

People who supported the defendant had verbally abused her in the street, calling her a liar and she had now moved away from the area, the court heard. But the woman had sought to make something positive out of her experience.

She did this by helping others who were in a similar situation.

Defence barrister James Heyworth pointed out that the judge was obliged legally to deal with the defendant as though he was still a juvenile, given Robinson’s age when he offended.

That involved ensuring a focus on rehabilitation. “There has been no further offending,” said Mr Heyworth.

References which described the defendant as he is now showed that what happened was "very much out of character", said the barrister.

Judge Michael Fanning said the passage of time proved two things: firstly, that there had been no further offending and secondly the degree of harm caused to the victim.

“Your victim describes how the whole course of her life has been shaped and dominated by what you have done to her,” continued the judge.

But Judge Fanning noted also how the brain of a 15-year-old boy is very different to that of an adult male, whose brain can be considered mature only after the age of 25.

“I do not reach the conclusion,” said the judge, “that you must, because of your offending as a younger male, be attracted to young girls.

“I don’t conclude that the offending was driven by a desire to exercise power and control over a younger girl.” Robinson (as a child) saw an opportunity for “sexual exploration” and he took that opportunity, said the judge.

“I don’t conclude, that as an adult, you would behave in the same way,” continued the judge, pointing out that children are less morally responsible for their actions, said the judge. But there had been serious harm to the victim.

Judge Fanning imposed a two-year community order which will include 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work. Robinson will be on the Sex Offender Register for five years.The judge also imposed a restraining order banning any contact with the victim.