A historic child sex abuse victim has been hailed as “incredibly brave” after a 63-year-old Suffolk paedophile was jailed for nearly seven years.

Jesse Masters, of Edgar Avenue, Stowmarket, originally faced eight charges.

These included two counts of rape of a female aged under 16.

Masters was also accused of four indecent assaults on a girl under the age of 14 and two charges of inciting a girl under the age of 14 to commit gross indecency.

The allegations all dated back to the 1980s.

Masters had initially pleaded not guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to all the charges.

However, on July 28 he changed his plea on three of the offences.

Masters admitted two of the indecent assaults and one count of gross indecency with a child.

The not guilty pleas on the remaining five charges, including the rapes, will lay on file.

Masters was jailed for six years and nine months when he appeared at his sentencing before Judge Rupert Overbury at Ipswich Crown Court.

After the hearing Detective Constable Brian Malster, of Suffolk Constabulary’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit, said: “The victim in this case was incredibly brave to come forward and detail the catalogue of abuse she was subjected to at a young age.

“Suffolk Police take all reports such as these seriously, no matter how long ago the offences took place and we provide ongoing support to the victim.

“We welcome the sentencing at court of Masters, which reflects the severity of the offences and we hope this will help the victim as she tries to come to terms with what she had to endure at his hands.”

Masters was arrested in Stowmarket on July 6 last year.

After being questioned on the allegations, he was released on bail pending further enquiries.

Masters was charged on December 12, before making his first court appearance on the allegations before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court on January 8.

His case was then committed to the town’s crown court.