A MAN convicted of indecently assaulting a young girl failed in a challenge against his conviction at London's Court of Appeal.

Frederick Edginton, of Willowfield Drive, Kidderminster, did, however, win a cut in his sentence.

The 50-year-old was found guilty at Worcester Crown Court in December last year of a number of sexual offences.

He was jailed for four years and ordered to serve a three-year extended sentence once that term had expired.

It meant Edginton could be recalled to prison during that period if he was deemed to have put a foot out of line.

During the hearing on Wednesday last week his lawyers argued the trial judge wrongly allowed his victim - who Edginton accused of making up the allegations - to be re-examined on important aspects of the case.

The Appeal Court also heard the extended part of Edginton's sentence was unlawful.

After listening to legal argument, Mr Justice Stanley Burnton, sitting with Lord Justice Gage and Mrs Justice Dobbs, dismissed the conviction appeal.

They ruled the trial judge had been perfectly entitled to allow the victim to go into the witness box for a second time.

Mr Justice Burnton, however, did conclude the extended part of Edginton's sentence was "unlawful" and ordered that it be quashed.

The court heard that Edginton was alleged to have abused the girl between the ages of 10 and 12, his crimes coming to light many years later.