A MAN who sexually abused a little girl when she was seven or eight years old has been jailed for three years and eight months.

Terry Gould was playing with the younger kids as his family visited the child's home when he molested the youngster.

And the child only revealed what the 20-year-old had done to her when her school handed out leaflets about what is appropriate contact between adults and children.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how after the talk with teachers that the girl revealed that the defendant had sexually assaulted her.

He said Gould was a good friend of the family and would often visit their house where he would play with, and supervise, the younger children.

The girl told the police how he first molested her after he invited her upstairs to do some colouring in.

As a result of the abuse the court was told that the child has nightmares about it happening again.

Gould, of Bridge Court, Westbury, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child and sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Mike Jeary, defending, said that his client could not explain properly to him what had taken place.

"The young man's understanding of what happened and his ability to verbalise it is exactly the experience I got, in that we first of all say we did it, then we try to justify it, then you have to put if all in front of him and he accepts he did it," he said.

When he was first spoken to by the police he said his client denied everything but when it was all put to him he admitted what he had done.

"The probation service have made it clear that he presents a risk, not to the public or to himself or his parents but to children under 16, which the probation service feel they are unable to manage."

Jailing him Judge Peter Blair QC said: "These are very serious offence which properly attract a significant sentence.

"They were separate offences, two occasions and for that reason I will be passing one sentence on top of the other.

"The aggravating features are it was in her home, where you were a trusted family friend.

"To abuse that trust and have the consequences for her in the future finding, I have not doubt, great difficulties in relationships and sexual matters and her trust in men, that will be with her for the rest of her life."

He also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, restricting his liberty, and told him he must register a sex offender for the rest of his life.