A FORMER Ipswich man was today starting a six-year jail sentence for sex offences against a schoolgirl.John Ingham, 38, now of Mottingham, South East London, was yesterday convicted of the offences after his trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

A FORMER Ipswich man was today starting a six-year jail sentence for sex offences against a schoolgirl.

John Ingham, 38, now of Mottingham, South East London, was yesterday convicted of the offences after his trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

The jury found him guilty of two attempted rapes and three offences of indecency with a child.

Ingham had denied a dozen sex offences against the girl, who was under 16.

On Wednesday, Judge John Devaux discharged the jury from returning verdicts on four charges of indecent assault which were part of the dozen alleged offences.

There were four charges of rape. The jury cleared Ingham of two of those charges. Their verdicts of attempted rape were alternatives on the remaining rape charges.

Both verdicts of attempted rape and two of the three verdicts of indecency with a child were on a majority of 10-2. The remaining guilty verdict was unanimous.

There was one other charge of indecency with a child, and on that he was found not guilty.

Ingham was given six years for the attempted rapes and five years for the indecency offences, with the sentences to run concurrently, making six years in all.

The judge also ordered that Ingham should be on the sex offenders register for the rest of his life and be barred from working with children for the same period.

Judge Devaux in sentencing Ingham told him these were very serious offences requiring long sentences. The girl had been "shockingly abused" by him, said the Judge.