A MAN has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in South Devon.

Carl Alexander Forrester, 70, whose last known address was a boat on the Thames in Oxford, appeared at Exeter Crown Court on 4 November.

Officers arrested Forrester after reports he had sexually assaulted a child and had proceeded to take intimate photos of the victim.

As part of investigations, Forrester’s phone was seized and police discovered 49 indecent images of children, including six Category A images, considered to be most severe.

Further digital investigations confirmed that Forrester had deleted images from his phone as officers were attempting to gain access to the property to arrest him.

Forrester initially denied the charges and fled to America before he was due to stand trial.

He was successfully located and extradited back to the UK.

Forrester then admitted a total of 13 offences, including multiple sexual assaults and taking and possession of indecent images of children.

He was jailed for 15 years, plus a further six to be served on extended licence.

The court also implemented a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Detectives and the judge praised the victim for her bravery.

Sgt Josie Haines of the Central Safeguarding team said “This little girl showed extraordinary bravery in speaking up and telling us what had happened to her.

“Forrester is a dangerous man who has shown no remorse for his actions or the damage he has caused.

“Before we were due to go to trial in August 2023, Forrester was found to have relocated to America and had obtained an American passport in attempts to avoid the consequences of his actions.

“With the help of the victim’s mother and the defendant’s family, we were able to locate Forrester and he was extradited back to the UK to attend court.

“Our teams have worked incredibly hard to get justice for the victim and her family, and I am relieved that Forrester will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by crime, please visit victimcare-dc.org to access support services, as well as information about your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system.

You can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689 111 or the Victim Care Unit at Devon and Cornwall Police on 01392 475900.