June 2008 Perverted pensioner jailed A 67-year-old man has been jailed for three and a half years for sexually assaulting a child. Adam Thomson, formerly of Station Road, Petersfield, was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault on the girl, when she was aged between seven and 14. Grey-haired and bespectacled Thomson, who moved to a bail hostel near Southampton following the charges, sat stony-faced and unblinking as Judge Andrew Barnett passed sentence at Winchester Crown Court. He stared straight ahead and did not meet the eyes of the girl’s relatives in the public gallery, who were visibly upset. Thomson was charged with 12 counts of indecent assault on an under-age female and denied all the charges. He was found not guilty on three counts by the jury and not guilty on two counts on the direction of the judge. The victim’s mother said after the case: ‘That man has taken away my daughter’s childhood. He has damaged her for life. What’s three years? He could be out of prison in 18 months. ‘The only good thing is that my daughter has been proven to have been telling the truth and she was brave enough to give evidence against him.’ Judge Barnett said: ‘There are no mitigating circumstances. You made this child thoroughly miserable.’