AN RAF serviceman has been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment after admitting raping a young girl nine times and making indecent images of them.

Ipswich Crown Court heard Alan Harrison, of the Sergeants’ Mess, RAF Honington, west Suffolk, was obsessed with the girl, who was aged 15 and under at the time of the offences.

Harrison would sometimes give his victim alcohol. He also paid the child �5 and gave her 20 cigarettes every time he had sex with her.

Prosecutor Christopher Paxton told the court the 43-year-old had bought the girl a sex toy on one occasion, as well as other gifts including underwear.

During the period of abuse he also bombarded his victim, who was in court for his sentencing, with text messages and telephone calls.

Sentencing Harrison, Judge David Goodin said: “You committed offences of unimaginable gravity in abusing her as you did repeatedly, sustainedly and systematically.

“This sexual activity was unprotected. It included, on occasion, the application of alcohol to ease the path to which you subjected her.

“It would be difficult, in my judgment, to imagine more serious offences against a little girl.”

Referring to the indecent images of the girl, and Harrison and the youngster together, Judge Goodin called them “an outrageous indignity for a little girl to deal with.”.

Charles Myatt, representing Harrison, said his client entirely accepted his victim’s account of what had gone on.

Mr Myatt said: “Any expression of the significant pain and suffering he has caused to (the victim) can only sound hollow and trite, but I ask Your Honour to accept those expressions are present.

“There are no denials by him. There are no excuses, and there are no justifications for what he has done.

“He wishes to make amends in whatever way he is able for the crimes he has committed and he appreciates there is, in all probability, nothing he can do in this regard for the extreme harm he’s done.”

In addition to the nine rapes and the indecent images charge, Harrison had also pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault by penetration.

Judge Goodin also made Harrison subject to a sexual offences prevention order without a time limit. He will also be put on the sex offenders’ register.