A child abuser has been jailed for five years for the prolonged sexual abuse of a young girl.

Martyn Lello, 56, of Powys, Wales, was sentenced for sexual assault and gross indecency, with the charges dating back to the early 1980s on Friday December 21.

Kingston Crown Court heard the victim, now in her late 30s, knew the defendant when she was growing up in Balham.

Lello would regularly visit the house where she lived with her mother and come into her bedroom.

He would start by giving the victim a massage, with his behaviour gradually growing more sexual.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said it took place from when she was aged nine to 12.

Lello, who was 27 when he started abusing the girl, was found guilty following a trial earlier this month.

Prosecuting, Teresa Hay, said: “He would come and visit her whilst she was in bed and would massage her.

“It developed into sexual assault. He was in a position of responsibility, he was trusted by her mother.”

The court heard Lello was well-known in his community and took photographs for the local university, with no other previous convictions.

Sentencing, Judge Campbell, said: “I have to sentence you for four offences of indecent assault and one offence of gross indecency with a child.

“This was a continuing series of assaults, they started when she was nine-years-old.”
Lello, who remained emotionless as the sentence was read out, was given a 10 year sexual offences order on top of his prison sentence.

After the sentencing the victim called for more people who suffer from sexual abuse to come forward.

She said: “I don’t care whether Lello was sent down today for a year or for 20
years.

“It is enough for me that he has finally been forced to acknowledge in public what he did to me when I was a child.

“I would encourage any such victims to be brave and come forward and make a statement to the police so that we can rid society of this
evil.”