A MAN from Co. Roscommon has been jailed in England after grooming and sexually abusing a teenage girl.
Graeme Maltby-Baker, 77, admitted four counts of sexual activity with a child aged 16 or under when he appeared at Derby Crown Court on February 3.
Maltby-Baker, formerly of the Bull i' th' Thorn pub near Buxton, Derbyshire but now living in Scramoge, Co. Roscommon, was jailed for six years and nine months on Thursday.
The former pub landlord must also sign the sex offenders' register for life.
"The victim in this case has been incredibly brave in coming forward and her courage and dignity throughout the whole process must be commended," said the detective from Derbyshire Constabulary that led the investigation.
Demanded oral sex
The abuse, which came to light in 2018 when the victim contacted police, began when she was 15.
Maltby-Baker sent the teenager text messages as well as making sexual comments to her.
He then began taking her out in his vehicle on a regular basis where he would kiss her, touch her through her clothes and demand oral sex.
The abuse continued for months with Maltby-Baker repeatedly forcing the girl to have sex with him, often in the back of his car.
'I wake up screaming'
In a personal statement read out in court, the victim spoke of how she can still 'feel his rough smelly moustache' on her face.
She added: "I was a quarter of this man's age, I thought I could trust him. Why did he do this to me?
"This man took over some of the most important years of my life.
"I sometimes have vivid violent nightmares. It's the norm for me to wake up in terror screaming."
The investigating detective added: "As well as the physical abuse she endured, the victim has also had to deal with years of emotional and mental trauma as a result of Maltby-Baker's predatory behaviour.
"I hope this sentence can now go some way towards helping her to get some closure on this horrific chapter of her life, and allow her to begin looking to the future."
