A CHILDREN’S charity has condemned the Wiltshire sex offender who “ruined” a girl’s childhood.

As a young teenager, Liam Jones repeatedly raped a girl five years his junior. Swindon Crown Court heard she had never recovered from the ordeal and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The 24-year-old was jailed for five years this week after admitting two counts of anal rape, sexually touching a child and setting to a hay barn.

Welcoming the sentence, an NSPCC spokesman said: “A young girl had her childhood ruined after being subjected to numerous and horrifying ordeals of sexual abuse by another child.

READ MORE: Jail for rapist who torched hay barn

“Hopefully the outcome of the hearing will finally give her some sort of closure and assist in her recovery.

“We must ensure that children and adults who have been abused feel confident to come forward, safe in the knowledge that they will be listened to and their voices heard no matter when the offences took place.”

Jones’ abuse came to light in 2018 – eight years after it ended – when he called Wiltshire Police’s non-emergency 101 number to report his crimes.

As well as jailing him, the Swindon judge made a life-long restraining order banning him from contacting his victim or trying to find out where she lives. He will be on the sex offenders’ register until he dies.

Any adult worried about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC hotline on 0808 800 5000. Childline is available on 0800 1111.