A MAN from Deganwy has been jailed after subjecting a female to numerous sexual assaults in the 1980s and 1990s.

Andrew Blake, 52, of Parc Pentywyn, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday, May 30.

In February, a jury found him guilty after trial of all 16 offences of indecent assault with which he had been charged.

Blake’s sexual assaults started when his victim was a child, and he was a teenager.

Now an adult, the victim spoke out in 2020, having been left traumatised by his abuse.

An investigation was launched by the Northumbria Police’s safeguarding department, and Blake attended a police station to be interviewed, where he initially admitted two instances of sexual abuse.

But the investigation continued and in 2022, he was charged with a total of 16 offences of indecent assault.

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He will also spend the rest of his life on the sex offenders’ register and his victim will be protected by a lifelong restraining order.

After his sentencing, the victim said: "Losing my childhood to sexual, physical and emotional abuse for six years was extremely traumatic, and that pain has continued throughout my life.

“I will never forget his cruel, manipulative, and coercive behaviour.

“I have lost out on so much during my life because of his behaviour towards me. He, and those who protected him and covered up these crimes left me with depression and feeling suicidal.

“The ‘character assassination’ of me and lies that he and the defence used were seen through by the jury.

“I would never want anyone else to experience what I did so protecting others from Blake was my priority and I’m proud that I found the courage to speak up and trust the police to investigate.

“Blake's selfishness and manipulative behaviour shows he is willing to go to any length to cover up what he did to me, to discredit me and the prosecution, to save himself at any expense.

"I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to those who have helped me and supported me over the years, particularly those who took time out of their lives over the last four years to provide truthful accounts for the investigation.

“To have people who did not know me but were willing to help me through this is something I will always be very grateful for.”

The officer leading the investigation for Northumbria Police, Detective Sergeant Julie Beattie, praised the victim’s bravery throughout the process.

She said: "These offences may have taken place several decades ago, but the survivor has been living with the effects of Blake’s actions day-in-day-out for almost 40 years.

“I hope this serves as some form of justice for her – although we know that nothing we ever do and no sentence we achieve will ever be able to undo the past.

“Blake is a nasty predator who, for years, painted the victim as a liar and manipulated her into not speaking out.

“But now the truth is out there, her voice has been heard, and the person who did this to her will be monitored by police for the rest of his life.”