A 40-year-old man formerly from Stanningfield has been sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison for sexual communication with a child.

Henry Hart was found guilty by a jury following a six-day trial. He had denied two charges of engaging in sexual communication with a girl under 16 and one charge of inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity by penetration.

He appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday 23 April for sentencing.

In addition to his prison sentence, Hart was issued an indefinite sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), an indefinite restraining order, and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

The court heard that Hart was known to the victim, who was 13 years old at the time. He used the social media platform Snapchat to send her messages of a sexual nature.

The matter was reported after a friend raised concerns about the victim to the victim’s family, who then contacted police.

Detective Sergeant Scott Swallow, the officer in charge of the case, said Hart denied any wrongdoing and claimed he believed the girl was over 16, providing no defence other than that she “looked and acted older.”

Advice on online safety is available via Suffolk Constabulary’s website.