Haverhill man is jailed for sex offences against schoolgirl

A Haverhill man who sexually abused a schoolgirl for more than two years has been jailed for 10 years and six months.

David Gray, 52, of Ash Grove was convicted in August after denying two offences of serious sexual assault and one of sexual acitivity with a child.

Today he was sentenced by Judge Levett at Ipswich Crown Court.

The prosecution had alleged that Gray had repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl over a period of more than two years and told her not to tell anyone about what he was doing.

It was ‘their secret’.

Isobel Ascherson, prosecuting, had said the girl’s mother went to the police after finding social media messages between her daughter and Gray.

In evidence at his trial Gray said that the only physical contact he had with the girl had been a ‘friendly hug’ and claimed the allegations against him were all lies.

Judge Levett ordered Gray to sign onto the Sexual Offences Register indefinitely and made a restraining order banning Gray from any contact with his victim.