Paedophile jailed after 'despicable crimes' against four-year-old girl

A man has been jailed after a string of historic sex offences against a young girl. Jordan Blenkinship's offences dated back to 2009, when he was 17 and his victim was just four years old.

The now-32-year-old sexually assaulted the young girl over a two-year period, the court heard. His vile actions initially came to light in 2010, after someone close to the victim told officers. He was arrested in March 2010, but denied the offences while being interviewed by detectives.

Nearly a decade later in 2019 the victim came forward and supported a police investigation to uncover Blenkinship’s offences. She said she "wanted to empower others who have gone through a similar experience and provide a message to other young people going through what she has that it is never too late to come forwards and get justice for the abuse she suffered in the past."

The victim told officers of the abuse she suffered at the hands of Blenkinship, and in October 2019, he was arrested. He denied the offences again, but because of the evidence against him, officers were able to secure 10 separate charges for sexual offences against the girl.

Following a one-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, Blenkinship, of Livingstone Road, Blackpool has now been found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and sexual assault by penetration of a girl aged under 13.

He was handed a six-year custodial sentence and a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order with strict restrictions .

Detective Constable Callum Shackleton, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Blenkinship has absolutely no remorse for the physical and mental trauma he has subjected the victim to, he is the worst kind of predator, and he is now behind bars and will no longer pose as a threat to