A 54-year-old man who committed a string of sex offences against a ten-year-old girl more than two decades ago was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison.

The woman’s victim impact statement read in Supreme Court said Pernell Brangman “groomed and manipulated” her more than 20 years ago.

She added she had been “haunted by feelings of pain, guilt and shame” and that “my innocence was taken from me”.

The woman said that Brangman had “not been man enough to admit what he has done, or show remorse”.

The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she struggled with fears that her own children would be victims of sex abuse. The young woman’s statement, read by Crown counsel Shaunte Simons, added she had been “sentenced to a lifetime of knowing this will be for ever part of my story”.

But she said she did not view herself as a victim. The statement added: “I am now on this journey as a survivor.”

The court heard that the woman had sought out counselling at the Women’s Resource Centre before she reported the abuse in September 2017.

The former Southampton Rangers footballer was convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a young person by a person in a position of trust by a jury’s unanimous verdict in April.

Brangman was also found guilty of unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl. The offences happened between June 1997 and September 1998.

Jason Wade, the club president, declined to comment yesterday.

Ms Simons told the court Brangman had gone to the girl’s house at lunchtimes, when he knew she was alone.

Brangman used treats such as fast food to “manipulate and bribe her” into sex acts and had sex with the girl despite her protests that he was hurting her.

He also performed a lewd act on her when they were alone together in a swimming pool.

The offences carry a maximum penalty of 25 years behind bars. The prosecution suggested between 14 to 16 years’ imprisonment.

Vaughn Caines, Brangman’s lawyer, told the court that his client “maintains his innocence”.

Mr Caines told the court that Brangman had admitted in a social inquiry report after his conviction that he had a sexual relationship with the girl when she was 16.

He said: “It’s not self-serving — he wanted to set the record straight.”

Mr Justice Greaves highlighted that Brangman had not made that claim during his trial.

He added: “Is that because he made it up later?”

Mr Justice Greaves said: “The abhorrence of society to these types of offences, and the determination of these courts to eliminate the scourge from our society, is well established.

“Yet these offences continue to occur and it might even appear that they are on the rise.”

Mr Justice Greaves added: “This is a serious offence — the taking advantage of a very young child by a very grown man.

“The younger the child and the older the man, the more severe the penalty should be.”

Brangman was given concurrent sentences of 12 years for the unlawful carnal knowledge offence and 11 and ten years on the two counts of exploitation of a young person.

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