ABUSER JAILED

The girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said her abuser had made her life very small.

She added: "He made me have no friends at all."

Moira man Philip Tate (who turned 26 on Friday last), from Laney Road but formerly of Lurganure Road, admitted three counts of having unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl when she was under 14 (he was almost 10 years her senior).

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by a three year probation order on each of the charges (sentences to run concurrently). He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

It was ordered that the defendant be disqualified from working with children, under the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults.

The defendant was also prohibited from any contact direct or indirect with the injured party and her family.

Tate also admitted gross indecency with a child - with an 18 month sentence and three year probation order to run concurrently.

It was a similar sentence for his admission of indecent assault on a female child.

Other charges 'left on the books' were four counts of indecent assault on a female child, two counts of indecent assault on a female, two counts of assault and one charge of intimidation.

His guilty pleas came at what his victim described as 'the last minute'.

The girl's mother said he had 'blatantly denied everything' up to that stage adding "I would have liked to have seen him locked up for longer."

Tate, she said, had struck up a friendship with the family and her daughter had started hanging about with his circle of friends.

She said: "I had no quibbles about her going out, she was with other family members. We had no real quibbles, you always think your child is safe."

The angry mother went on to say Tate had tried to turn their daughter against them: "He had her well groomed and trained.

"As she has matured a bit she now realises what he did was wrong, she was just a child."

The girl said: "It got that I couldn't go anywhere as he was telling lies about me, but now he's admitted what he did."

As for how she feels about Tate now, the answer was straight-talking: "He's the biggest f***ing b*****d who ever walked on two feet. He's made my life very small."

She went on: "I have no friends left. I don't even like going out because he and his friends would appear."