Roger Laughton 39

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A man who sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl and left her suffering from nightmares has been locked up for two years.

Roger Laughton, who smirked in his police mugshot after being arrested, sexually abused the youngster but then, after being charged, denied he had done anything wrong.

The 33-year-old of Chestnut Grove in Grantham left his victim shocked and confused, a court was told.

Despite pleading not guilty to a charge of sexual assault as a result of what happened in January 2017, he was found guilty by a jury following a trial in which the girl gave evidence against him at Lincoln Crown Court .

Laughton was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Judge Andrew Easteal, passing sentence, told Laughton: "It is plain she was shocked, confused and distressed at what you were doing to her.

"It is quite clear that this has had an enormous effect on her.

"There is no knowing how long and how deeply it will affect her but it was an awful thing that you did to her. It was deplorable.

"You continue to dispute the verdict in the face of overwhelming evidence. You have not expressed any remorse towards her."

Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting, said: "A statement from the victim's mother explains the effect she has seen on her daughter.

"Before this she was happy go lucky and confident. She would speak to anyone.

"That disappeared after the incident. She changed overnight and stopped talking to people.

"She has begun to fall behind on her school work and she has nightmares."

Michael Cranmer-Brown, for Laughton, said: "The jury found him guilty of what was alleged. He still denies that.

"There is very little more that I can say at the end of a trial when he has denied the matter and continues to do so."