A resident of Louth, Nathan Halford, 31, has been given a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing a young girl. This ruling was announced at Lincoln Crown Court, where additionally, Halford was granted an extra year on licence for his release. Alongside his time in prison, Halford has been issued a sexual harm prevention order and will be mandated to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
The trial concluded in May, and Halford was found guilty of six sexual offences. These include two charges of assault by penetration and four counts of sexual assault on a child who was under 13. The offences occurred between October 2021 and July 2022. The case was exposed after the victim confided in her family and school about the incidents, resulting in a police investigation.
Prosecutor Alice Ibbotson underscored the psychological trauma inflicted on the victim, highlighting her experiences of nightly terror and struggles with anger management. In spite of the evidence against him, Halford denied his actions throughout the trial. Judge James House KC, whilst delivering his sentencing comments, reprimanded Halford for his lack of remorse and inability to understand the damage he had caused the victim.
This article was reshaped based on the original reporting found at www.bbc.com by The Lincoln Post.
