A PENSIONER has been jailed after he was found guilty of sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl.

Lizzie Parry

A PENSIONER has been jailed after he was found guilty of sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl.

Clifford Tickner, of Bloomfield Way, Debenham, was convicted of indecently assaulting the girl by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court last month.

At his sentencing yesterday, Judge John Holt said Tickner's offence was so serious he had to go to prison.

“I bear in mind your previous good character and I bear in mind your health, which is not the best. Nevertheless you must go to prison,” he said.

Tickner, 76, was given a sentence of 12 months, of which he will serve six months in prison before being released.

Judge Holt also imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention order which he said was necessary to protect the public from sexual harm, adding Tickner posed a medium risk of causing serious harm.

Tickner was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register.

The jury took just over four hours to reach its 10 to two majority verdict after hearing evidence at the court.

During the trial the court heard that in 2002, Tickner had asked the girl to do him a favour and said he would buy her a SlushPuppy drink.

Bu he then instructed her to lie down on the bathroom floor and take off her trousers. Tickner indecently assaulted the girl before apologising to her and asking for her forgiveness.

The court heard that the girl confided in her mother during a holiday in France. The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: “I was literally in a state of shock on hearing what came out of my daughter's mouth.”

Tickner denied the allegation and accused the girl of having a good imagination. Judge Holt noted his refusal to accept the jury's verdict and that Tickner had showed no remorse since his conviction.