Paedophile Wayne Garwood is today starting a seven-year jail term after he was found guilty of sexual abusing a young girl over the course of a year.

IPSWICH: Paedophile Wayne Garwood is today starting a seven-year jail term after he was found guilty of sexual abusing a young girl over the course of a year.

The 34-year-old had denied the sickening attacks but a jury at Ipswich Crown Court failed to believe his version of events.

The distraught mother of Garwood's victim, who can not be named for legal reasons, told the Evening Star the abuse has left her daughter as a shadow of her former self.

She said her daughter, who is not yet a teenager, suffers from panic attacks and has started to self-harm.

“It has been devastating,” she said. “I am disgusted with him.

“The emotional side has been horrific. She has scars all over her arms and hands where she has cut herself and has no confidence.”

Throughout his trial, dad-of-one Garwood, of Fore Street, Ipswich, denied the offences. But following overwhelming evidence, including testimonies by his terrified victim, the jury found him guilty of six offences of sexual assault, two offences of assault by penetration and one offence of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The abuse took place over at least a year before the girl confided in her shocked mother - despite Garwood warning her that she would get into trouble if she told anybody.

Judge Peter Thompson said: “Your offending represented a long period of sexual abuse over almost a year, probably longer. It is plain that she will have suffered significant harm from your abuse.”

The victim's mum said her “whole world crashed” when her daughter told her about the abuse.

“I am devastated and wishing that I had noticed the signs earlier. When she told me I went into complete shock, I went hot from my toe to the top of my head. She just stood there shaking and crying.”

The mum said her daughter will now start intensive counselling sessions to help her overcome the horrific abuse.

“It has been awful. She was such a brave little girl to come to court. I feel sorry for her because he was not man enough to admit what he did - she would not have had to go through that.

“I am pleased with the sentence, hopefully she can now feel safe.”

THROUGHOUT his trial at Ipswich Crown Court, Wayne Garwood tried to lie his way out of trouble.

At one stage, the 34-year-old father looked directly at the jury and said: “She is a little girl confused. I have done nothing.

“I have got the courage to stand here and say I did not do it.”

But following evidence from his terrified young victim, who broke down in tears, the jury saw through his lies and found him guilty of nine offences of sexual abuse.

In sentencing him, Judge Peter Thompson said: “I am satisfied that she was an intelligent girl and not the knowing kind of girl which you described in your evidence.

“She has been cutting herself and has been miserable and all that has been caused by your behaviour.

“You tried to deter her and succeeded for quite a long time by telling her she would be in trouble if she told anybody. You continued to blame her for making up her story. The jury believed her and did not believe you.”