Pensioner Gordon Cook said he could not be blamed for abusing a young girl because she was “very attractive”.

Eighty-year-old Cook, who cares for his severely ill wife, told police he was not responsible for what happened because the girl did not turn him down.

The sickening assault took place 10 years ago when Cook was in his 70s.

Cook, pictured, of Willington Street in Maidstone, made the girl touch him. He pretended it was a game and he touched the girl intimately.

At Maidstone Crown Court Cook admitted one count of gross indecency with a child and was jailed for 18 months. He will have to sign the sex offenders’ register on his release.

Talking after the hearing, DC Polly Bailey said she was delighted with the sentence.

The victim’s family was told before the hearing it was unlikely Cook would be jailed because he was elderly and had admitted the count at the earliest occasion.

DC Bailey said Cook had been cautioned in 2004 after he admitted a similar offence against a different girl.

Referring to the current case, DC Bailey said: “He admitted the offence in interviews with the police but he did not seem to think he had done anything wrong. He said he did not force her to do it. 'She was very attractive’, those were his words.”

DS Gary Smith, who attended the court hearing, said: “Judge Philip Statman said he was disgusted that he blamed his victim. He said Cook had to take full responsibility.

“There was no real reaction from Cook when he was jailed – I don’t think it had sunk in.”
The officers said the victim was coping well.