Man who sexually abused and filmed girl inside church jailed for 16 years

INCIDENTS 'DESTROYED INNOCENCE' OF VICTIM

- By MARK NAYLOR

A PERVERTED pensioner who cynically took advantage of a young girl by sexually touching and filming her during "shocking" incidents inside a church has been jailed for 16 years.

Graham Hart made his move on the girl while she was sitting on a pew inside the church. He was later found with a haul of intimate images of her as well as a collection of banned cartoons and other animations of imaginary children, Hull Crown Court heard.

Hart, 78, of Bridlington, but formerly of Burton Agnes, admitted attempted rape, sexual assault of a child under 13, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, assault by penetration, making indecent images of children and possessing prohibited images of children. He pleaded guilty before a scheduled trial.

Stephen Robinson, prosecuting, said that the girl walked into a church and she was sitting on a pew when Hart intimately touched her and filmed her while telling her what she should do. He handed her a sex toy and told her to lift up her skirt and engage in sexualised activity. The incidents in the church were "shocking" because of where they took place, the court heard.

Hart sexually abused the girl and he threatened to put footage of her on the internet if she told anyone what had happened. The threats, including with a Swiss army knife, left her scared.

Police were alerted and they went to Hart's home in Febru ary 2023. Sex toys were found. He made no comment to all questions during police interview but forensic evidence was found.