Robert Miller was facing a trial, but pleaded guilty at the last minute
Robert Miller was jailed for nine years(Image: Submitted)
A builder who targeted a girl for sexual abuse left her feeling “horrible and disgusted” as well as suffering flashbacks and nightmares. The harm caused to her was “far-reaching” and “massively” affected her day-to-day life, Hull Crown Court heard.
Robert Miller, 58, formerly of Walkington, near Beverley, but later of Riplingham Road, Cottingham, admitted sexual assault of a child and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was originally due to face a trial in August but he changed his pleas to guilty.
Craig Lowe, prosecuting, said that Miller behaved in a sexual way towards the girl. “She tried to stop him from doing it but he carried on,” said Mr Lowe.
The girl later said: “Afterwards, I felt horrible and disgusted. After it happened, he behaved as if nothing at all had occurred.”
When she told him: “What you have done will affect me for the rest of my life.” Miller told her: “I am so sorry. I don’t know what to say.”
During police interview, Miller made no comment to all questions. He had no previous convictions.
The girl said in a statement that she felt “ashamed, confused and violated”. She had suffered flashbacks and nightmares.
“I am now suffering from depression and anxiety on a daily basis,” she said. “He has taken a part of me away that I will never get back. The ongoing impact massively affects my day-to-day life.”
Oliver Shipley, mitigating, said that because the late guilty pleas were on the day of a scheduled trial, this was an “unattractive” feature of the case. “I can’t offer any explanation for the offending,” said Mr Shipley.
“There is nothing in his life at the time that accounts for this. The harm is far-reaching with offences of this type and he accepts that.
“I can’t say anything about the facts themselves. This will be his first taste of custody.
“He is self-employed. He had a busy self-employed business in the trades. He carried on working.”
Miller, who had been on bail, was jailed for nine years. He was given a 10-year restraining order and he will have to register as a sex offender indefinitely.
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