A former sports coach was today jailed after he sexually abused a teenager over a number of years.

Andrew Vernon-Browne, 30, was sentenced to eight years and ten months at the Court of General Gaol Delivery.

He pleaded guilty to buggery, indecent assault, gross indecency, and unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.

The court heard that offences took place between 2013 and 2016, when Vernon-Browne who was an assistant sports coach groomed a young girl he met when he was 20 and she was just 11.

When she was 13 and he was 22, the two started messaging, with the messages quickly becoming sexual.

Prosecutor James Robinson said that the abuse took place when the girl was aged between 13 and 15.

In her victim impact statement the woman described the ‘devastating’ impact that the offences had on her.

She said: ‘I feel like I have had years taken away from me,’ before adding that his actions have caused lasting trauma in her life.

‘I don’t remember any of my teenage years,’ and added that what Vernon-Browne did to her ruined her mental health and led to substance abuse,’ she continued.

‘As a result of what he did, I will never trust a man again. Because I was overly sexualised as a child, that is what I felt was all that I was good for.

‘I can’t imagine a day when I will ever want a relationship with a man.’

In 2020 Vernon-Browne apologised to the victim, and said that if it ever came to light, he would admit to what he did, the court heard.

Mr Robinson told the court that the following year, in 2021, there was another case where Vernon-Browne groomed a different 14-year-old girl, which was prevented from going any further by parental intervention.

The social enquiry report said that Vernon-Browne presents as a predatory individual citing the repetition of the behaviour.

Sentencing Vernon-Browne, Deemster Graeme Cook said: ‘Sometimes the public questions the reasons for sexual offences, this is a classic example of why there should be protection for children from predators like you, and you are a predator.’

He said that Vernon-Browne’s remorse, was ‘tempered by the fact that less than a year after, you were prevented from doing this again with another 14-year-old’.

As well as Vernon-Browne’s eight year and ten month sentence, he was placed under a Sexual Offence Prevention Order and placed on the Sexual Offenders Register.

Vernon-Browne was also ordered not to contact the victim upon his release from prison.