john barham Child Sexual Abuser

Paedophile Neighbour jailed A “disgusting” paedophile cruelly abused the trust of a neighbour in order to molest her five-year-old daughter John Barham, 54, from Hampshire, was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Winchester Crown Court.

He was convicted on three counts of sexual assault on a young child and two counts of owning indecent images of the same child.

The family of the victim were “on friendly terms” with Barham before the assault, with Barham occasionally acting as a babysitter.

The family was completely unaware of their neighbour’s “propensity for child sexual interest” that became apparent after police seized his computer, which contained internet searches for child pornography and graphic sexual fiction regarding young children.

His camera was also discovered to have indecent images.

Family members who were sitting in the public gallery during the hearing cried out with joy as Barham received his 10 year sentence.

Judge Andrew Barnett noted that the only saving grace for Barham was that he had entered his guilty plea at the earliest possible point.

“You saved that child the appalling ordeal of reliving the things you inflicted upon her,” said Judge Barnett.

Barham has received, in addition to his sentence, an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order which stops him from contacting or being in the company of children without supervision, owning any device which can store an image, and a prohibition on accessing the internet.