A 56-year-old man has been jailed for 10 years after being convicted of nine sexual offences spanning more than a decade.

Ian Bishop, of Redriff Road, Romford was found guilty of one count of gross indecency with a child and eight counts of indecent assault, after a week-long trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

The charges Bishop faced were condensed from 13 to nine offences mid-way through the trial.

Bishop had denied all charges. During the trial Edmund Gritt, defending, told the court that the allegations were fictitious – born out of a “small, nasty lie told a long time ago”.

Christopher Stimpson, prosecuting, had told the jury that the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had told others about the abuse for a long period of time.

He said: “We are not looking at a vindictive woman who invented this story to get back at someone. She simply has had the courage to say this is what defined her childhood.”

The court heard that Bishop had abused his victim periodically for 11 years.

Mr Stimpson said: “All throughout this period there was inappropriate touching.

“It might have only lasted a couple of seconds, normally where there were other people.”

Mr Stimpson detailed multiple occasions when Bishop placed his hand between the legs of the victim.

One such occasion took place at a theme park. It was recounted by the victim during a police interview, a recording of which was played to the court.

She said: “We were really high up waiting in the queue. He was behind me and he was blatant about how he was touching me – I was trying to sort of wriggle away.

“There was a man behind us and I will never forget the look of horror on the man’s face.”

Bishop was sentenced to 10 years in prison and will be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.