Today, Friday 16th August, a 76-year-old man from the Coleraine area, was sentenced at Laganside Crown Court for three counts of sexual assault of a child.

The man, who cannot be named in order to protect the victim’s identity, was sentenced to nine years. He will serve four years in prison and five years on licence. He will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period and has been disqualified from ever working with children and vulnerable adults.

Detective Constable Lesley Cameron said: “This was an incredibly disturbing case and it is right this man now has to face the consequences of his disgraceful crimes.

“My thoughts today remain with the victim and their family. They have shown immense courage in reporting these crimes and working with Police throughout the investigation

"The Police Service of Northern Ireland is wholly committed to tackling all cases of child abuse, regardless of when the crimes occurred, and we will continue to work alongside our partners to support any victims and ensure offenders are brought to justice.

“We encourage anyone who has been the victim of any form of sexual abuse to come forward to Police. Call 101 or call 999 in an emergency.”