A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a girl in South Devon.

Carl Alexander Forrester, whose last known address was a boat on the Thames in Oxford, initially fled to the US to escape trial last year, police revealed.

It emerged that Forrester had also taken intimate photos of the nine-year-old victim and deleted images from his phone when officers attempted to gain access to the property to arrest him.

During the investigation, police seized his phone and discovered 49 indecent images of children, including six Category A images, considered to be most severe.

Forrester initially denied the charges and fled to America with a US passport before he was due to stand trial in August 2023.

However, he was eventually tracked down and extradited back to the UK.

On November 4, Forrester appeared at Exeter Crown Court where he admitted a total of 13 offences, including multiple sexual assaults and taking and possession of indecent images of children.

In addition to the jail term, he was sentenced to a further six years to be served on extended licence. He will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Following the conviction, detectives and the judge praised the young 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. With the help of the victim’s mother and the defendant’s family, we were able to locate Forrester.”

He described Forrester as a “dangerous man” who had shown no remorse for his actions or the damage he had caused.

“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,” he added.

To access support services for victims, visit https://victimcare-dc.org. There is also a victim support line on 0808 1689 111 and the victim care unit at Devon and Cornwall Police on 01392 475900.