A 28-year-old man who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl in Suffolk has been jailed for eight years.

Daniel Lea, of no fixed address, denied four offences of sexually assaulting a child, causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity by sending sexual photographs and assaulting a child under 13 by penetration.

Last week a jury at Ipswich Crown Court convicted him of three offences of sexual assault and assaulting a child by penetration.

He was cleared of the remaining two offences.

Sentence was adjourned until Friday (June 16) when he was jailed for eight years with an extended licence period of one year.

He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

The court heard that Lea, who chose not to attend the trial or his sentencing hearing, was currently serving a prison sentence for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child in relation to a decoy child on the internet.

During Lea’s trial it was alleged that he had touched the girl sexually and told her to keep it a secret.

“She was frightened what would happen if she told anyone,” said Jamie Sawyer, prosecuting.

After his arrest Lea gave police a prepared statement in which he  denied sexually assaulting the girl.