A man whose young victim of sexual abuse told of now feeling “completely worthless” has been jailed for 14 years under an extended sentence for public protection.

The girl’s victim statement was read out in court after she stated she wanted her voice to be heard.

She declared she feared would not become the woman she may have been because of what Ramon Mesa had done to her.

A judge branded the 51-year-old alcoholic “a devious sexual predator”, adding: “She must have regarded you as a monster.”

Spanish-born Mesa, who was living in Sheerness, denied any wrongdoing and accused the victim of lying. He continues to maintain he is innocent.

At his trial, he was convicted of two offences of sexual assault of a child and one of assault by penetration. He was acquitted of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Mesa, who later moved to accommodation in Broadstairs, will have to serve two thirds of the sentence before he will be considered for release, and will be on licence for a further two years.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he started molesting the girl several years ago when she was young.

Judge Martin Joy said when passing sentence on Tuesday it was “an escalating series of offences” and Mesa was convicted on overwhelming evidence.

“The offences are perverted, unnatural and disgusting behaviour,” he said. “There was caused by you a very long delay before the trial came on. That must have been torture for her.

“She had to stand being called a liar by counsel for the defence in public for nearly a week. Offences such as these can have a highly damaging effect.

“First of all, they take away the innocence of a child. It is very easy for women who have been abused to regard men as devious sexual predators, as you were.”

The victim, who gave evidence without being hidden from Mesa in the dock by screens, told in her statement how she no longer trusted men.

“The sexual abuse I have been through has had a massive impact on my wellbeing as the innocence has been removed from me,” she said. “I see myself as completely worthless.

“I feel this will never change. I was a little girl who wasn’t allowed to be a little girl. I know I am grieving for the person I might have been and the direction my life would have taken.”

Judge Joy said: “The hope can only be this impressive young woman who had the guts to come forward can find the strength to be the person she hoped to be.”

A probation report said Mesa had not expressed regret or remorse. He had described it as “just a bit of damage” to the victim.

“I come to the conclusion that you pose a significant risk to the public of serious harm by the commission of further such offences,” added the judge.

“There was targeting of a vulnerable child. Here is somebody who was being groomed. There is no real mitigation at all.”

Mesa’s name will appear indefinitely on the sex offenders’ register and a sexual harm prevention order was made.

Investigating officer Detective Constable John Milham praised the victim, saying: "Without her determination and courage to seek an end to her abuse we would never have been able to have gained a conviction.

"This was a horrific case. Judge Joy described Mesa as a devious sexual predator who committed distorted, perverse and disgusting acts."

He added: "Kent Police will thoroughly pursue any child sex offender, whether the crimes were committed recently or many years ago.

"I would encourage those who have been victims of this type of crime, or those who believe they know a child who is or has been abused, to report it to us."