A TETBURY man has finally admitted two sex offences against a 14-year-old girl despite putting his victim "through the mill" of having to give evidence against him.

James Stinchcombe, of London Road, was convicted by a jury at Gloucester Crown Court last month of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and having sexual activity with a child. He had always denied the charges.

The 31-year-old had put a condom on himself in front of the girl and touched her intimately during a massage.

However, as the sentencing hearing got underway, Stinchcombe advised his solicitor, Paul Trotman, to change his plea to guilty. “I am pleased to say he has had a change of heart and now instructs that the girl was telling the truth,” Mr Trotman told the court.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC said the confession would be a great comfort to the girl, who had been disbelieved by some members of her family.

He said: “You are a man who is highly spoken of in your community yet you dragged her along to court and put her through the mill when you knew perfectly well what you had done.

“I am very heartened that at the 11th hour and 59th minute you have accepted what you did.

“It means she can now feel vindicated,” he said.

Stinchcombe was found guilty by a jury of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and having sexual activity with a child.

Stinchcombe was given a two-year community order with supervision and ordered to attend the Thames Valley sex offender course.

He was also prohibited from any contact with the girl and was ordered to sign the sex offender register for five years.