A man has been given a 16-and-a-half year jail sentence for a string of sexual offences against a girl in the Stockport area, who was just 11 when they met.

Seventy-year-old Peter Garns, of no fixed abode, was found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault and one of unlawful sexual intercourse against a girl.

The non-recent offences took place over the course of three years in the late 1990s / early 2000s.

As she grew older, the woman bravely came forward and disclosed the crimes which she had endured.

Garns had manipulated the girl into believing they had a genuine relationship.

He gave her cigarettes and put credit on her phone, where he would regularly text her.

Detective Inspector Rebecca Jones, from Greater Manchester Police's Stockport district, said: "Garns abused and manipulated a young girl for more than three years, taking advantage of her and committing vile crimes under the false pretext of love and care.

"The fact she bravely came forward meant that we were able to put together a comprehensive evidential file which secured charges for Garns, and resulted in his imprisonment. He has plenty of time to think about his crimes and I hope this result brings a level of closure for the woman involved in this case.

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

"I want any other victims of similar crimes to know that we will always investigate regardless of when it happened – whether it was 30 days or 30 years ago. Please do get in touch with us, as we will do what we can to help and support you."