A SEX attack victim felt “she would be better of dead to escape the pain” caused by a paedophile who assaulted her as a child.

Michael McKenzie, of The Grove, Southend was jailed for more than two years for indecently assaulting a girl under 16, at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

The 63-year-old was found guilty on October 29, following a trial at Basildon Crown Court.

A victim impact statement was read out in court prior to McKenzie being jailed for two years and eight months.

The statement said: “I felt trapped in a box in my head and at times felt I would be better dead to get peace.

“I was made to believe I was to blame for this and I’ve had little confidence. I question every decision and even suffered three miscarriages and feel these are due to the trauma I kept inside.

“For a long time I hated being alone. I believed I didn’t deserve anything and deserved what happened to me.”

McKenzie was found not guilty of rape during the trial.

Mitigating, Marc Brown, told the hearing his client’s health has deteriorated since he was sent to prison for his own safety after a suicide attempt.

He said: “He was a man of good character but this was inappropriate and unlawful activity.

“There is a very low risk of him re-offending and nothing to suggest he would contact the victim.

“He was on bail during the trial but later in custody for his own protection due to suicidal attempts.”

Sentencing McKenzie, Judge Shane Collery, said: “While she consented, she was immature and didn’t realise it was wrong until later.

“It was reported in 2019 and later in life the emotional affect hit her. It caused her considerable affects for years including worry, feeling worthless and better dead.

“There was an element of manipulative behaviour.

There’s been no other offending like this and his health is poor.”

He slammed McKenzie for making the victim and her family relive the pain through the trial.

He was jailed for two years and eight months.

Victim is praised for courage

A SEX abuse victim has been praised by police for showing the courage to report her attacker to police.

Michael McKenzie was jailed yesterday for assaulting a child.

Following the sentencing, DS Shirley Close, from the Quest team, said: “The victim in this case has shown a huge amount of courage in reporting Michael McKenzie had done.

“What she has experienced has had a significant impact on her as she has grown older and become an adult.

“She has deserved justice.”

The Quest team is a specialist unit set up in 2019 which investigates allegations of child abuse.

DS Cole said: “Now we’re able to give the victims the service they deserve and the investigations the time they require. People think it’s word against word and we’ll never be able to find proof, but we know what the CPS want in terms of getting these cases charged.

There’s lots we can do.”