AN ICE cream man who sexually abused a seven-year-old girl was jailed for three years at Dorchester Crown Court on Friday.

John Frederick Marshallsay, formerly of Parkstone, Poole, had admitted two counts of indecent assault on the youngster between September 1999 and January 2000, which left his victim unable to sleep and gripped by fears that she is dying.

At the sentencing hearing yesterday, the Crown asked for two other offences to be left on file.

The court also heard that Marshallsay invited children to visit his house while his wife was out at work.

The girl had been playing with Barbie dolls with a friend downstairs before Marshallsay picked her up and took her to an upstairs bedroom where he threw her on the bed and assaulted her.

Martin Lanchester, prosecuting, said one of the assaults "lasted for about one to two minutes until his wife got back".

After Marshallsay pleaded guilty the offences at Bournemouth Crown Court last month, the court heard that the girl had kept the ordeal to herself for almost three years before speaking of it to a friend.

Bournemouth Crown Court had also been told that Marshallsay lost his job selling ice cream from a van as a result of the case and had been separated from his family.

Speaking in mitigation at yesterday's sentencing, Michelle Clarke said: "He has acknowledged that he is at the start of a long and difficult journey.

She added: "He has now been accepted within his own family and his wife is still visiting him."

In passing sentence, Judge John Beashel said to Marshallsay: "You were in a position of trust towards the girl.

"She was young and in your own home and you committed a disgraceful crime."

Marshallsay will serve half of his three-year sentence and be placed on licence for a further 18 months with a further extended licence period of three years.

He was also placed on the sex offenders' register, which means he will have to keep police informed of his whereabouts and will be barred from working with children upon his release.