Man jailed for schoolgirl sex

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8501174.stm

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A 38-year-old man from Belfast has been jailed for 18 months for indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Trevor Madden from York Drive was also put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

He was originally charged with raping the schoolgirl but, because of difficulties with evidence, the charge was reduced to indecent assault.

The court heard that Madden pleaded guilty to having sex with the girl after they had both been drinking.

It was also revealed in court that after the offence came to light in April 2008, Madden, who was described in court as an alcoholic, was the victim of a stabbing and could not be interviewed for three months.

A defence barrister said that on the day the offences occurred, his client had been "drinking substantially and his judgement clouded by the alcohol he had taken".

He added that when questioned by police Madden was "afraid at interview to admit what he would have admitted" because of the knife attack on him.

Jailing Madden, the judge said that there was "no excuse whatsoever in entering into any sexual relationship with such a young girl" but that the defendant had "expressed his remorse and accepts his actions were totally wrong and inexcusable".

He added that Madden was entitled to substantial credit for his guilty plea which had also saved his victim the ordeal of having to give evidence.