A MARRIED man who mounted sex attacks on a schoolgirl up to 28 years ago has been jailed for six months at Worcester Crown Court.

James Nightingale touched the victim's breasts and lay on top of her while exposing himself.

He had been happily married for 30 years and had three children before a complaint was made to police by a woman.

A jury convicted him last month of five counts of indecent assault.

Judge Andrew Geddes told Nightingale, of Severnside Mill, Bewdley, he had used a young girl to "satisfy your sexual appetite" and added: "This has brought her considerable suffering and also brought great suffering to your family."

He ordered the 47-year-old to sign on the sex offenders' register for seven years.

The offences, committed between 1976 and 1980, happened in a house and in the defendant's car when he parked at night in a beauty spot near Stourport-on-Severn.

The victim - now married and in her 30s - urged him to confess to his wife. When he did not, she went to police.

In 1997, Nightingale was jailed for three months for conspiracy to bribe. He told police the sex complaint was "utter fabrication".

Richard Bond, defending, said he still maintained he was innocent. There were never any suspicions that he had acted like this to anyone else.

He was a hard-working man who was supported by his family. The case had cost him his job and his inability to pay his mortgage while in jail meant his home was in jeopardy.

Ben Nicholls, prosecuting, said there had been no further allegations since this episode of historic sex abuse and therefore Nightingale was not seen as a danger to youngsters. The judge made no restriction over the defendant working with children after his release.