A young girl molested by a devout churchgoer told police her abuser left her feeling “super sad and mad”.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Kenneth Marr befriended and groomed the child before taking advantage of her on two occasions.

Now, the agricultural worker is starting a six-and-a-half year jail term, having been found guilty of two offences of assault by penetration by majority verdicts of 10 to two.

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson told the jury Marr, who met his victim in Ashford, claimed the girl had been "encouraged by others" to make up the allegations.

But the prosecutor said the 62-year-old had "an unhealthy sexual interest" in the youngster and "took the opportunity" to molest her. His DNA was also found in her underwear.

When spoken to by police, the child used a drawing to explain how she had been inappropriately touched and told officers Marr had "done something wrong", the court heard.

"She said that what he did to her made her feel super sad and mad," said Mr Stevenson.

When told that Marr had denied her accusations, she maintained he "was wrong", the jury was told.

"The Crown say that her response to the defendant's case was emphatic and clear, and that is because she is a truthful witness," added the prosecutor.

As well as denying the two offences of assault by penetration, Marr, of Weston Road, Congresbury, Bristol, also denied one of sexual assault and was acquitted by the same jury of that charge.

John Barker, defending, told the court that having spent many years working "in the fields" in Spain, Marr came back to the UK and was helped by the Church.

But on imposing an extended sentence of six-and-a-half years' imprisonment with a further one year added to any licence period, Judge Simon Taylor KC told him that he should have "taken the hand of Christian friendship offered and grown as a consequence".

He added: "It wasn't a one-off offence and something you had endeavoured to do through grooming, pretending to care and pretending to be a friend."

On his release from prison Marr will have to sign on the sex offender register indefinitely and will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.