A young girl who was molested by a pervert insisted on reading out her victim impact statement when sentence was passed.

The teenager went behind screens and told how she had been badly affected by abuse at the hands of Daniel Harrison.

A judge told her “well done” and praised her for her bravery.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 35-year-old, who worked as courier, would pick up the girl on the Isle of Sheppey and she'd wrap her legs around him.

His behaviour became more serious when he made the victim touch him indecently and he molested her.

“She didn’t tell anyone at the time,” said prosecutor Vivian Walters. “She said she didn’t know what to do.”

On another occasion he insisted on rubbing some cream over her chest and private parts. It made her feel uncomfortable.

Miss Walters said the girl eventually spoke to a family friend, her mother and the police about what happened.

When interviewed by police, he at first denied touching her in a sexual way. He then admitted he touched her for a few seconds under her clothing and she touched him intimately.

“Anyone who heard it would have been moved by her harrowing story..." Judge David Griffith-Jones QC

“He described it as a silly mistake done out of curiosity,” said Miss Walters. “He maintained he didn’t have a sexual attraction to children.”

Harrison, of Bower Terrace, Maidstone, was jailed for four-and-a-half years after admitting two offences of sexual assault and one of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The victim told in her statement how the abuse had made her feel suicidal and had affected her education. She added she was not able to get the help she needed.

Daniel Stevenson, defending, said Harrison offered his heartfelt apologies for his behaviour.

“For what it is worth, he is deeply sorry for what he has done,” he said. “Out of panic, he initially denied being responsible for any offences. He has expressed his remorse.”

Mr Stevenson added that Harrison’s father died, aged 59, around the time of the offences. Harrison was on anti-depressants and felt very low.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said such offences were always liable to inflict long-term psychological damage on the victim.

“Sadly, that is clearly what has happened, as was evident from her victim personal statement,” he said. “Anyone who heard it would have been moved by her harrowing story.

“She was very brave in summoning the courage to read out that statement. I express the hope that reading it out and knowing the criminal process will now have run its course and you will have been punished, will serve to draw a line in the sand for her and enable her to move forward and face what I hope will be an increasingly happy future.”

The judge said Harrison sought to minimise his behaviour and to some extent remained in denial by stating he had no sexual interest in children.

Harrison’s name will appear on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and he will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.