A brave young girl has written to a court to say how much the sexual abuse she suffered has impacted her life as now she's too scared to go to school. In a victim impact statement, the 13-year-old described how the attack on her while she slept has left her terrified, untrusting and scared to go to school.

John Graley, 45, from My Lords Road, Fraddon, appeared at Truro Crown Court today (Friday, August 2) for sentencing having pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual touching of a girl under the age of 13 during an incident at an address in Cornwall last year.

The court was told how on that day Graley assaulted the girl in a sexual way before stopping himself. The girl was so traumatised by the incident that it was three weeks before she found the courage to come forward and report her abuser. In a moving letter to the court written by herself, Graley's victim said she had been an outgoing and sociable girl but was now a lonely and scared child.

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Graley's barrister said he came forward, handed himself in to the police and made a full admission of his crimes. He also pleaded guilty at the first opportunity when he appeared before magistrates last month.

She told the court that Graley had a long list of previous convictions but none of this nature. She said he had shown great remorse for his action and knew what he did was wrong and put his hand up to it. She added: "He's very remorseful but he can't take back as much as he would like of what he did. He accepts he has to pay the price."

Sentencing the paedophile to three years in prison, His Honour Judge Simon Carr said the pre-sentence report he had read about Graley showed a "very disturbing entrenched sexual interest in children" which until this incident he had satiated through accessing images of child sex abuse online.

Judge Carr said: "Your victim has left school. She feels unable to go and the effect of your offence against her is one that will be felt for a long term."

Braley has also been made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and will remain on the sex offender register for life.