Norwich man who sexually abused girl, 8, in 1990s jailed for historic child sex offences

A man who repeatedly sexually abused and raped a girl from when she was eight to 12 years old in the 1990s has been jailed.

Matthew Payne was found guilty of the historical child sex offences at King’s Lynn Crown Court.

The abuse started when the victim was around eight years old, occurred on numerous occasions and resulted in him raping her, police said.

The offences happened in the mid-1990s up to the beginning of the 2000s, and continued until the victim was 12 years old.

The victim came forward in August 2019 to disclose that she was sexually abused by the 52-year-old and he was subsequently questioned by police.

Payne from Cromer Road, Norwich, was found guilty of two counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, and one count of indecency with a child.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to all of the offences.

Payne was sentenced at King’s Lynn Crown Court to 15 years, 14 to be served in prison and one year to be served on licence.

He was also issued an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

DC Antonio Perretta said: “This is a crime which has a huge impact on the victim and their life. We commend the bravery of the victim coming forward, which is often an incredibly challenging step to make.

“Irrespective of whether these crimes are historical, their impact remains, and we would encourage anyone who has suffered this kind of crime to get in contact.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.