A WEST Cumbria man who groomed and then repeatedly molested a teenage child has been handed a lengthy jail term by a judge who told him: “You are a paedophile.”

Carlisle Crown Court heard shocking details of Neil Stewart’s sexual abuse of the girl as he was punished on Friday.

Stewart, 41, had earlier admitted a charge of sexual activity with a child. But a prosecutor said there was evidence to suggest he had since demonstrated no remorse for his offending, instead trying to heap blame wrongly on the victim as part of “self-justification”.

In an impact statement, the victim told of her life being “torn apart” and of feeling suicidal in the aftermath.

She spoke of being initially anxious to report what Stewart had done. “I didn’t think there was anything I could do as I didn’t think anyone would believe me over him,” she had stated.

She also described feeling alone and not wanting to leave her house.

The teen’s mother had also penned a moving statement, describing the ordeal as “torturous” and of it taking a “massive toll”.

Isabella Denn-White, mitigating, insisted that Stewart, of Poole Road, Salterbeck, was remorseful. “He knows what happened was unacceptable, knows there is no way to justify it and knows it was completely wrong. He is extremely shameful for what went on. It is his fault,” said the barrister.

Ms Denn-White suggested the looming prison sentence could be suspended, for Stewart to instead carry out work with professionals in a bid to rehabilitate himself and protect the public in future. He had no previous convictions and was backed by several character references.

But Judge Michael Fanning concluded that only immediate imprisonment was appropriate, imposing a term of four years, six months.

Stewart, said the judge, had treated the girl as a “sexual object” in carrying out “deviant” criminal conduct.

“The damage to somebody who has been abused in this way, well, it’s irreparable. She won’t get over it,” Judge Fanning told Stewart.

The judge highlighted one character reference author who had expressed incredulity that Stewart’s name was now on the sex offenders’ register. Judge Fanning concluded: “You preyed on her. You are a paedophile and you are rightly on that (register).”

Stewart must comply with sex offender register notification requirements indefinitely. He is also likely to be banned from working with children and vulnerable people in the future, and will be the subject of a future application for a prevention order placing strict conditions on his liberty.