A THRICE-convicted sex offender has been jailed for 10 years after admitting raping a young girl.

Terry Bishop was told he would spend two-thirds of his sentence in prison before becoming eligible for release, and that he would remain on licence for five years after his 10 year term was concluded.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard the 48-year-old befriended the mother of his victim, who was unaware he was already a thrice-convicted sex offender.

He had been convicted twice in the past for indecent assaults on girls under 14 and once also for an indecent assault on a girl aged under 16.

Speaking after the hearing on Friday last week, Kerry Maylin, Principal Crown Advocate for the Crown Prosecution Service Wessex, said: "His past was not known to the mother of the little girl, who considered him as a good friend.

"The young girl revealed to her mother that Terry Bishop had touched her sexually."

The "sickening" abuse took place between January 1 and August 9 this year.

During the course of the investigation a picture was found in the child’s notebook which was of a sexual nature, and it was used in evidence against the defendant during the investigation.

Bishop, of Holdenhurst Road, pleaded guilty in August to the rape of a girl under 13, and to three offences of sexual assaults of a child under 13. A psychological report was ordered before he was sentenced.

Ms Maylin said: "Terry Bishop has committed sickening crimes on a child, whom he befriended through her mother.

"No child should have to be subjected to such despicable crimes, at such a young age."

She added: "We carefully reviewed all the evidence in this case and were able to build a strong case against the defendant leaving him with no choice but to plead guilty at his first crown court hearing.

"This case demonstrates how CPS Wessex Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (Rasso) Unit is determined, with the police, to prosecute child abuse."