An 81-year-old man who sexually abused a young Chepstow girl repeatedly when she was aged between five and eight was jailed for seven years today.

James Fairclough's offences had done psychological damage to the girl and caused her difficulties at school, said the judge at Gloucester crown court.

Fairclough of Harewood drive, Royton, near Oldham, had denied sexual activity with a child under 12 between 1st December 2005 and 31st January 2010, three charges of assault of a child by penetration between the same dates and one of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The jury at Gloucester crown court unanimously convicted him of four of the charges and he was cleared of one allegation of assault by penetration.

The offences happened when dad-of-three Fairclough and his wife were visiting a house in Beachley, near Lydney, where the girl was also a visitor.

Jailing Fairclough, who was of previous good character, Recorder Martin Meeke QC told him: "You took gross advantage of the opportunity to abuse her. The offences are in the top bracket of the sentencing guidelines provided to the courts.

"There was no lasting physical harm to this girl but I am acutely aware of the psychological damage done.

"I have seen what her mother and her headmistress at school have said about that. I strongly suspect that her difficulties at school are to be laid at your door.

"Doing what I can to make allowance for your age and the nature of your offending, the sentence is seven years."

The recorder told Fairclough he will have to sign the sex offender register for the rest of his life and he will be precluded from working with children.

Fairclough showed no reaction to either the verdicts or the sentence.

Before the recorder passed sentence, Sarah Regan, prosecuting, referred him to a statement from the girl's mother in which she said "This has turned my world upside down.

"It is my worst nightmare come true. My whole family has been affected".

Ms Regan said that the girl's family reported it was 'as if a significant weight had been lifted from her' after she gave evidence.

Defence barrister Antony Longworth said he had to concede that the disparity of ages between Fairclough and his victim and her young age were aggravating features.

But he submitted that Fairclough's great age was a factor the court could take into account to reduce sentence.

At the start of the trial, Ms Regan said the allegations came to light on November 2010 when the girl became very upset and her mother pressed her to say what was wrong.

"She said she couldn't tell her mother because it was something that was really bad and she might get into trouble," the prosecutor said.

"Her mum assured her she would not. The girl said it began with the letter S – and she then spelt out the word sex.

"She went on to tell her mother that the defendant had touched her."

In evidence, Fairclough denied that he had ever touched the girl sexually and he said he was surprised and puzzled about the accusations and why she made them.

He said he had sometimes scolded the girl or slapped her for being naughty and jumping on his bed or taking money from his bedside table but he denied ever molesting her.

The jury of five men and seven women took four hours to find him guilty of all but one of the charges.