A GWENT man has been jailed for seven years for a sexual assault on a young girl dating back nearly 20 years.

Mark Garnett, aged 48, was found guilty by a jury of indecent assault of a child relating to a period in the 1990s.

Garnett, of Panteg Terrace in Newbridge, appeared at Newport Crown Court yesterday  via video link from Parc Prison.

The court heard how he had put Sellotape over the child’s mouth to keep her quiet, and had pushed her under the water in a bath before sexually assaulting her.

Judge Tom Crowther QC said: “As [the victim] has grown older, she’s clearly been haunted by your actions.”

The court heard how the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had since suffered a nervous breakdown and had turned to alcohol as a result of the defendant’s actions.

Mr Crowther said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had decided against pursuing a case against Garnett on more than one occasion before taking the “proper decision” in 2011 to follow through with the prosecution.

A victim impact statement, which was read out by prosecutor Caroline Rees, said: “I went through a rough time trusting people. I knew things of a sexual nature that I should not have. I don’t trust people with my children.”

Mr Crowther told the defendant he would have to serve an indefinite sexual prevention order which will not allow him to live in the same household as any child under the age of 16, unless with the permission of social services.

Garnett will serve half of his seven-year sentence in custody before being released on licence.