A man has been found guilty of indecently assaulting a young girl in Calne more than 30 years ago.

David Alan Anderson, 66, who now lives in Auckland, New Zealand, was found guilty yesterday following a trial at Swindon Crown Court.

The offence was committed in Calne back in 1988 when the victim was under the age of 16.

Det Con Simon Rogers said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for her bravery in coming forward and reporting this incident. It was not until approximately 30 years after the incident took place that she felt confident in being able to report this to police. It must have been a huge burden to carry for such a long time without reporting this information and she has shown great courage in coming forward and supporting the investigation.

“Anderson has lived a large part of his life without facing justice for his actions and I am pleased that he has now been put before the courts for a jury to decide that he is guilty of a despicable crime.

“I welcome their decision and hope that outcomes such as these encourage others in the same position to come forward, regardless of how long ago the offence took place.”

Anderson will be sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on October 31.

To report sexual abuse please phone police on 101 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Victims can also seek support and counselling from the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) based at the New Swindon Sanctuary - they can be contacted on the 24-hour helpline 0808 168 0024.