A paedophile has been jailed for a string of sex offences against a 13-year-old girl. Gavin Macken appeared at Leicester Crown Court yesterday (Monday, January 27) to be sentenced for six sexual offences against the child. His offences included him trying to persuade a second girl to send him naked photographs. When his attempts to get photographs from the second child failed, he attempted to coerce the first victim into taking pictures of the second girl for him. Macken, of Brookfield Rise, in Leicester's Saffron Lane Estate, denied all of the offences, but was found guilty by a jury after a trial at the same court that ended in December. At yesterday's sentencing hearing, the girl said in a victim statement read out in court that she had been afraid to be out alone since being abused by Macken. She said: "It has made me feel as though I'm dirty. "I struggle going out. I'm afraid of what will be around any corner. He made me feel uncomfortable in my own skin." She added that delays in bringing the case to trial had made her feel even more upset. She said: "I felt like life wasn't worth living for the longest time." The girl - who cannot be named because, as a victim of a sex offence, her identity is protected by law - also said she felt ashamed for being too "weak" to protect herself against Macken. James Varley, representing Macken, told the court there was not much he could say in his client's defence because Macken continued to deny the offending. He added that Macken's personality would make prison hard for him. He said: "He has known since the verdicts came in that he is going to prison today. He's always been a rather unhappy and isolated man and this will compound that. I don't think there's anything I can add by way of mitigation." Judge William Harbage KC, sentencing Macken, said: "What's clear is she has suffered significant trauma because of the abuse and real psychological harm." Macken shook his head in denial as Judge Harbage sentenced him. The judge told Macken: "You sexually abused them in a gross and vile way. "There's no doubt your behaviour was motivated by your own sexual gratification. You are still in denial - despite the verdict of the jury - and I can see you shaking your head to my remarks now." The judge said Macken was a "high risk of harm to children". As well as jailing him for eight years, the judge ordered Macken to be on the sex offenders register for life and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order, limiting his ability to use the internet after his release from prison, as well as restricting any contact with children.