Darlington man jailed for child exploitation

A man who made a young girl expose herself has been jailed for five years.Vernon Austen, 59, targeted the girl when she was as young as nine, Teesside Crown Court heard.He had denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty by jurors of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.His victim said he had "ripped" her childhood away and "stolen" her innocence, leaving her with a cascade of serious mental health issues. Austen, of Salisbury Terrace in Darlington, must also sign the sex offenders register indefinitely and follow a sexual harm prevention order that limits his contact with children for 10 years.