A FORMER teaching assistant has been jailed for five years for abusing a little girl.

Kevin Cousins was locked up after he pleaded guilty to seven sexual offences related to children at Swindon Crown Court.

The 37-year-old, of Forest Lane, Melksham, not only groomed and abused a four-year-old at his workplace, but also took photos of her while she changed for PE using a covert camera hidden in his watch.

“We understand that cases like this one will cause concern within our local community,” Detective Inspector Darren Hannant said.

“Incidents like this are of course very rare and I am very pleased that this young child spoke out so that we could begin an investigation immediately and safeguard other children.

“Cousins abused his position to satisfy his own needs and he is now jailed because of that.

“It is really important to talk to your children as they should know what is right and what it wrong from an early age.

“If we speak to our children about this sort of subject more regularly we are able to make some of these judgements on their behalf and guide them as they get older.”

To help guide parents on how to approach the topic with their children, the NSPCC has created its PANTS campaign, which highlights the underwear rule: Privates are private, Always remember your body belongs to you, No means no, Talk about secrets that upset you and Speak up.

Cousins’ abuse was finally brought to a halt after a staff member at the school noticed a strong attachment

between him and the girl and the girl opened up to her mother and told her what the teaching assistant was doing to her.

The mother of the victim has since spoken out to highlight the need to speak to your children.

She said: “We are shocked and angry at the actions of Cousins and we would ask for sensitivity to our situation and what our child has been through.

“We still do not know the long-term effects on our child.

“Any careless word, overheard by our child at this stage, could damage them forever and we would ask that people are mindful of this.

“Our child has been wonderful and extremely brave throughout the entire investigation.

“We would encourage parents to talk openly with their children about how to keep themselves safe, wherever they area, as we did with our child who bravely spoke up and stopped this man in his tracks.”

Cousins, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault of a child, two counts of taking indecent images of children and three counts of possessing indecent images of children, has had to register as a sexual offender for life, been banned from working with children and had a sexual harm prevention order imposed against him.

To report sexual abuse, call Wiltshire Police on 101.