A man has been sentenced to seven years in jail after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a young girl over almost a decade.
Anthony Baron (68) of Main Street, Gisburn, first abused his victim when she was just seven years old, but the abuse continued until she was around 14 years old, in the Accrington area.
Baron was convicted following a trial of eight counts of sexual assault against a child between 2006-2013.
He was sentenced at Burnley Crown Court on Monday.
Detective constable Ryan Benson, who led the case to bring Baron to justice, said: “First of all my thoughts are with Anthony Baron’s victim. Through his perverted actions he has effectively robbed her of her childhood and yet she has had the courage not only to come forward and report what he did to her but also the bravery to see the case through to its rightful outcome.
“I trust she feels some sense that justice has been done and I hope this outcome gives others who may have been through similar ordeals the confidence to come forward and speak about what has happened in the knowledge that we will investigate sensitively and professionally and without fear or favour.”
