A SICK paedophile who targeted a seven-year-old girl has been jailed over historic sex abuse.

Alan David Oakman, 65, thought he had got away with his crimes when his victim was too frightened and traumatised to continue her police report in the 1990s.

But more than 20 years later she went back to the police to reveal the full extent of his horrifying crimes.

At Lewes Crown Court Oakman admitted six counts of gross indecency and three counts of indecent assault on the girl when over a five year period when she was as young as just seven.

The incidents took place in Hastings and Bexhill, the court heard.

Oakman, a commercial cleaner, of Fellows Road, Hastings, was jailed for 12 years.

Police said that on the day he was arrested, computer files were seized which showed he had recently been looking at indecent images of children. The force has encouraged victims to report crime.

Detective Constable Nicola Westgate said: “The assaults on the girl were first reported to the police in the 1990s, but at that time she felt unable to give the full details of her traumatic experiences that could have enabled prosecution.

“However she came back to us in 2018 and disclosed further information that she felt too frightened to reveal 23 years earlier.

“We immediately began enquiries and arrested Oakman. His computer was seized and the indecent images were found, taken from the Internet, which he had been viewing the day before his arrest, indicating a continuing a sexual interest in children.

“We always encourage any victims of sexual abuse to come forward and talk to us in confidence. You will be taken seriously, you will have access to expert support and advice through specially trained officers, and we will investigate to seek justice for you wherever possible.”