A FORMER school caretaker who sexually abused a girl 25 years ago has been sent to jail for 15 months.

Bruce Roper, 64, whose victim said she had been terrified of him and had been afraid to tell her mother what had gone on, only went to the police last year and felt she had lost everything.

Roper, who struck over two years, was convicted of nine counts of indecent assault by a Burnley Crown Court jury, but still maintained his innocence.

After the case, the county council revealed that the child had not been a pupil at the school and Roper had not been working at the school at the time of the offences.

Sentencing him, Judge Raymond Bennett said it was always sad to see somebody of his age in a criminal dock for the first time.

He said he appreciated the defendant's family could not believe he had done what the jury convicted him of and added he had received sensible, balanced and moving letters from them.

The judge said he recognised the pain the court case would have caused the family, but on the other side of the coin, the victim had been troubled by Roper's behaviour ever since it happened and felt she had lost everything by giving evidence against him. Judge Bennett, who said he had received a "glowing tribute" to the defendant from the headteacher of the school where he formerly worked, added it was not suggested Roper had led anything other than an exemplary life in all aspects except for his behaviour during the two years of abuse.

Roper, of Ennismore Street, Burnley, who until the allegations were made against him was the caretaker at Barden Infants' School, had denied the charges. A spokesperson for his family said after the case the defendant intended to appeal against conviction.

Alexandra Simmonds, prosecuting, said the victim felt unable to tell her mother about Roper's conduct as she felt she would not be believed. She tried to stop him, but he just told her to be quiet.

Roper also spoke in an inappropriate way to the child and talked about how women got pregnant. The indecency stopped when the defendant's wife became pregnant.

When Roper was interviewed by police last year, he claimed the offences never happened and the girl was telling lies. The defendant had no previous convictions.

Russell Davies, defending, said Roper had been trusted all his life with children. He had given his family love and care throughout their lives, they were supporting him and would do so in the future. Such cases were always tragic, he said.

A spokesman for County Hall said the victim had not been a pupil at the school and Roper had not been working at Barden Infants at the time of the offences. By WENDY BARLOW