December 2014 Man jailed for seven years for sexually abusing young girl A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for various sexual offences committed against a child in High Wycombe and Thame. Carl Crook, now of Pale Gate Close, Honiton, Devon, was found guilty last Friday of a range of sexual offences. After a trial the 49-year-old was convicted of: Three sexual assaults of a child under 13 Five counts of sexual activity with a child One count of assault on a child under 13 by penetration One count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity One count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child Two further charges of making indecent photographs of children On the first day of his five-day trial he also admitted four counts of taking indecent photos and videos of his victim on August 25, 2010. All the sexual abuse took place between 2003 and 2008. The victim cannot be named for legal reasons. Yesterday at Oxford Crown Court defence barrister Jennifer Edwards said her client was still “loved and respected” by many people who knew him. She said: “There has never been any meaningful suggestion of coercion or force used by Mr Crook.” Judge Zoe Smith said the defendant had “incrementally” increased the seriousness of his sexual abuse over time. She said: “It was clear when [your victim] gave evidence during your trial that she found the memories of some of your actions to be distressing.” Crook was made subject to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order banning unsupervised contact with girls under 16.   Investigating officer, Det Con Maria Morrisey of the Thames Valley Police Paedophile Online Investigation Team said: “I am delighted with the sentence given to Crook, who has proved to be an extremely dangerous and predatory paedophile. “The jury saw through Crook’s lies and concluded he groomed his victim before taking advantage of her for his own sexual gratification. “I praise the victim for showing the courage to give her testament first to police and then to the court. I also praise the jury who did their duty with diligence and had to listen in detail about Crook’s depraved crimes. Finally, I praise all Thames Valley Police and Devon and Cornwall Police officers and staff who helped in this investigation, without them Crook’s conviction would not have been possible.”