A vile predator who ‘manipulated and groomed a ‘young and innocent child’ he repeatedly sexually abused was caught after the brave victim managed to covertly film one of his attacks.

Shaun Broomhead has been jailed for more than six years after sexually abusing the child under 14 on multiple occasions over a two-year period.

The 41-year-old, of Lostock, pleaded guilty to eight separate offences in relation to the same victim.

A court heard how the girl said that the abuse had ‘messed her up’ and that it has made her ‘angry all the time’.

She recalled one instance where she was getting changed for a school PE lesson and felt like she could ‘feel’ Broomhead’s touch even though he was not there, adding: “It was just the worst thing ever”.

The girl also said that she has ‘fallen back’ at school after the incidents as she ‘can’t get her head down’. She continued that she is no longer at ease with boys and finds it difficult to trust them

Prosecuting, Andrew Mackintosh told Bolton Crown Court that Broomhead denied the offences when questioned by police.

Once shown the video that the girl had recorded, the court heard that he responded: “I don’t know what to say”.

In November 2022, Broomhead pleaded guilty to four counts of assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual acts

Jailing Broomhead for six years and three months, Recorder Nicholas Clarke KC said: “You manipulated and groomed [your victim]… she was of course a young and innocent child.”

Broomhead will serve two thirds of his sentence in prison before he is eligible for parole and he will serve an extra 12 months on extended licence upon the completion of his sentence.

He was made subject to a life-long sexual harm prevention order and will have to sign the sex offender register for life.