James Doyle 38

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A MAN who sexually assaulted a young girl over several years is starting a nine-year prison sentence.

James Doyle, 36, was sentenced at Hove Crown Court on Thursday, March 3, after being convicted of two counts of sexual activity with the girl, then aged under 13, at an address in East Grinstead between five and ten years ago.

Doyle, of Bear Lane, Hare Hatch, Reading, will be a registered sex offender for life and was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to run for ten years on his release, hugely restricting his access to girls under 16 and to digital communications devices.

Detective Constable Rees Hopcraft, West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said: "Doyle gained the confidence of his victim over a period of time and then chose situations in which she was alone and vulnerable to systematically exploit her for his own gratification.

"As soon as this was reported to us we took action and Doyle is no longer in a position to act in this predatory way against other children."

For information on how to report concerns about sexual exploitation of children and the support that is available, see the Sussex Police website.