He “deliberately targeted a vulnerable child”
The case was heard at Bristol Crown Court(Image: BPM MEDIA)
A survivor of child sexual abuse bravely spoke in court as the man responsible was jailed, telling him: “I’m not going to let what you’ve done control my life.”
Adrian McNab, formerly of Woodwell Road in Shirehampton, Bristol, was found guilty of two counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 13 by touching.
The jury’s verdict came after a four-day trial at Bristol Crown Court, which concluded on Monday, February 16.
McNab, 62, has now been sentenced to a four-year jail term. At the hearing on Friday, April 10, he was also ordered to be added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.
The court was told how McNab touched a child on several different occasions between 2019 and 2021. Presiding Judge Lambert told McNab that his actions against the victim had “devastating consequences”.
In a personal statement read out at the hearing, the victim said: “You’ve taken away my childhood. I don’t want to do anything anymore and I feel sad, thinking ‘what would it be like if this never happened’.
“Whenever I see men on the street, I cross the road. I just do it without thinking. I do it out of safety and I know it is because of you.”
Speaking directly to McNab, the victim said: “I want you to know I have a life ahead of me. While I live with the effects, this hasn’t stopped me from [my future].
“I’m not going to let what you’ve done control my life.”
The victim’s family member said in another statement: “It’s not fair that she had to go through all of this. It’s so much trauma for a young person to deal with.
“This has impacted her in ways you probably couldn’t imagine.
“She has told me she feels like you’ve taken away her childhood, and I can’t help but feel sad knowing that this is true.
“I can only hope that one day, [McNab] can own up to [the victim] about what you really did.”
The investigation was carried out by Avon and Somerset Police’s Op Ruby child protection team, who specifically focus on cases where children are being exploited or are coming to harm.
Det Sgt Jasmine Chadwick from Op Ruby said: “McNab deliberately targeted a vulnerable child. The court recognised that sexual abuse of a child can have serious and lasting consequences. The impact on the victim was significant.
“We commend the bravery shown by the victim in speaking up and hope this outcome provides a sense of justice.”
NSPCC advice – signs of sexual abuse
Knowing the signs of sexual abuse can help give a voice to children. Sometimes children won’t understand that what’s happening to them is wrong. Or they might be scared to speak out. Some of the signs you might notice include:
Emotional
- Avoiding being alone with or frightened of people or a person they know
- Language or sexual behaviour you wouldn’t expect them to know
- Having nightmares or bed-wetting
- Alcohol or drug misuse
- Self-harm
- Changes in eating habits or developing an eating problem
Physical
- Bruises
- Bleeding, discharge, pains or soreness in their genital or anal area
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Pregnancy
If a child reveals abuse
- listen carefully to what they’re saying
- let them know they’ve done the right thing by telling you
- tell them it’s not their fault
- say you’ll take them seriously
- don’t confront the alleged abuser
- explain what you’ll do next
- report what the child has told you as soon as possible.