Kieron Jackson, aged 32, of Holm Court, Salford, was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault of a child aged under 13 and two of attempted rape of a child under 13.

He had sexually abused a nine-year-old girl in Bolton on 21 occasions and also tried to rape her several times.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Jackson inflicted the ‘utterly appalling’ abuse regularly on his victim.

Julian Goode, prosecuting, said: “This happened regularly, repeatedly as part of the overall sexual abuse.”

Mr Goode told the court how Jackson’s victim was badly affected has been left “distrustful” and “wary” of other people.

He added that Jackson’s crimes were all the more serious given the regularity with which he tried to commit them.

Julian Goode, prosecuting, said: “This happened regularly, repeatedly as part of the overall sexual abuse.”

Mr Goode told the court how Jackson’s victim was badly affected has been left “distrustful” and “wary” of other people.