A Cambridgeshire man – who admitted to raping and sexually abusing a young girl – has been jailed for 13-and-a-half years.

Lea Bishop, of Bisley Crescent, Upper Cambourne, was arrested in July 2016 after allegations were made of historical sexual abuse against a girl.

The 41-year-old appeared at Cambridge Crown Court and admitted five counts of sexual assault of a girl under 13, one count of rape of a girl under 13 and one count of assaulting a girl under 13 by penetration.

Officers were told how the victim, who was ten-years-old when the abuse started, was raped and sexually assaulted by Bishop over a number of years.

Bishop was sentenced to three years for one count of sexual assault, five years each for the four other counts of sexual assault, 13 years and six months extended for five years on licence for rape and 11 years for the assault by penetration, all to run concurrently.

He has also been placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) indefinitely.

DC Peter Church said: “I would like to thank the victim and her family for continuing to support the investigation which has taken almost two years. It has been a very difficult time for them.

“This sentence shows that even if though happened a long time ago child abuse will not be tolerated in any form, regardless of when it happened.

“We take all reports of sexual abuse seriously and will investigate them thoroughly to bring offenders to justice.”

For information and advice about child abuse, including sexual abuse, visit: www.cambs.police.uk/childprotection

Anyone who suspects a child is being abused, or anyone wanting to report historical abuse, should call police on 101 or report online at: www.cambs.police.uk/report

If a child is in immediate danger call 999.