A MAN from a village near York has been jailed for six years for sexually assaulting a young girl after grooming her online.

Geoffrey Dunwell, 47, of Goose Lane, Sutton on the Forest, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for seven offences of sexual activity with a child.

West Yorkshire Police said Dunwell met his 14-year-old victim on a social media application in June 2015 and groomed her online over a period of weeks.

He later arranged to meet her and then sexually assaulted her on several occasions at locations in Ossett and Dewsbury.

The offences were later disclosed to Wakefield police who began to carry out enquiries and identified Dunwell.

Detective Constable Aidy Cowan of the Wakefield District Child Safeguarding Unit: "Geoffrey Dunwell richly deserves his sentence for his abuse of a young and particularly vulnerable victim.

"He took advantage of and groomed his victim, who was 14 at the time, before committing several sexual offences against her. All the while, Dunwell was fully aware of his victim's young age.

"She showed a lot of courage in disclosing those offences to us and I hope this conviction again reaffirms the determination of officers to provide support to victims and secure justice for them."