A judge praised a sex abuse victim as “a brave young woman” as he jailed her attacker for five years.

Clevio Borges branded the girl a liar when she gave evidence against him at his trial.

But Judge Martin Joy said the 40-year-old, of Nursery Road, High Brooms, Tunbridge Wells, had been convicted on overwhelming evidence of three offences of sexual activity with a child.

“The fact you pleaded not guilty and indeed called her a liar does you no credit at all,” he told Borges, who served the military in his home country of Brazil. “She was a brave young woman.”

She confronted her abuser by giving evidence without being screened from the dock.

The victim described him groping her breasts, legs and bottom before it “got even worse” and he molested her further.

“She was crying and angry,” said the judge. “You tried to lie your way out of it. You were assaulting her and it escalated.”

Tom Stern, defending, read out a letter written to Maidstone Crown Court by Borges’ mother in which she spoke of him as a person who always gave her great pride.

“He has always been a good man and not committed any type of crime,” she added.

Passing sentence, Judge Joy said of the victim: “I take the view she was an extremely impressive young woman. The psychological effect of this sort of offence can be severe.

“It takes away a young child’s innocence. It is disgusting of you. You put her through a trial, suggesting she made up the allegations. There has been a significant impact.

“This was an extremely impressive young woman dealt with very badly by you. She felt angry and sad.”

The judge added: “There is virtually no mitigation apart from the fact you have no previous convictions. You couldn’t complain if there were consecutive sentences, but I have to consider totality to reflect the overall criminality.”

Borges’ name will appear on the sex offenders’ register and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order was made.