A SUPERMARKET worker has been jailed for five years for sexually abusing a vulnerable girl over a three-year period when she was as young as eight.

Adam Bond was jailed at Warrington Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of five offences against the girl, having previously admitted another count, in relation to incidents between 2005 and 2007.

The 27-year-old’s offending began when the victim was eight, with Bond admitting that he pulled the girl’s tracksuit bottoms down and touched her inappropriately.

Bond’s sexual behaviour towards the girl continued when she was aged 10 and he forced her to put her hands in to his underwear and touch him.

On a number of occasions the following summer Bond, of Dudley Street in Orford, put his hands in the 11-year-old victim’s underwear and sexually assaulted in his bedroom and a park.

In 2012, she contacted Bond on Facebook to confront him about what had happened – he apologised and offered to take her shopping.

The girl did not report the incidents until she told a counsellor in 2014, with the police informed shortly afterwards.

Bond answered a no comment interview when questioned but when he was first contacted by police he said: “I did it, I’m not going to lie – I touched her.”

He was convicted of four counts of sexual assault and one of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity on June 23 after a trial having earlier pleaded not guilty – Bond, aged between 14-17 when the offences were committed, admitted a further count of indecent assault on the morning of his trial.

In a personal statement read out to the court, the victim said she had experience depression, anxiety and sleeping problems because of the abuse she suffered and had also attempted self-harm.

She added that her confidence had been affected and she has felt ‘worthless’.

Defence barrister John Banasko described Bond as a ‘young man who has grown from a naïve and immature person to someone mature’ who had otherwise ‘led a blameless life’ – he added that Bond’s ‘world is now going to collapse’.

Her honour judge Tina Landale jailed Bond for five years and also subjected him to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He will serve half of his sentence before being released on licence.

Judge Landale added: “You were found guilty after a trial by jury of a series of the most serious offences committed against a vulnerable child.

“This has had a significant psychological effect on her and she has not been able to recover from what she suffered as a child.”

The victim’s parents released a statement following the sentencing.

They said: “Due to the despicable abuse that Adam Bond inflicted on our beautiful daughter at the age of 10 and 11 he has robbed her of her innocence, causing her to take a different direction in life.

“He is a disgusting individual with paedophilic tendencies.

“The pain and suffering has had a phenomenal impact – she became a shadow of her former self, withdrawn and shy.

“She no longer trusts men and has nightmares to this day.

“We are satisfied she’s got the justice she deserves and can try to move on with her life.”

Bond, who had no previous convictions, was an employee at Asda Birchwood and had been on a management programme with the supermarket giant.

Mr Banasko said that Bond’s supervisor was aware of the situation and that Asda would review the impact upon his job when the sentence was passed.

The victim’s parents added: “We are very disappointed and surprised that Asda don’t seem to vet their employees before employing them and letting them go out onto the shop floor mixing with the public and their children on a daily basis.”

A spokesman for Asda said: “We are unable to discuss the details of individual cases, however we were shocked to learn about this matter when it recently came to light.

“Anyone who applies for a role with Asda is required to disclose any convictions prior to appointment – as soon as we are made aware of concerns that could call into question a colleague’s suitability it is our policy to immediately carry out an investigation in line with our disciplinary policy.

“As part of that policy the concealing or withholding of information relating to a criminal conviction is taken very seriously and could result in dismissal.”