A Suffolk man who sexually abused a young girl has won an appeal to reduce his jail time by one year.
Ross Smith, 33, of Banham Road, Beccles, was initially sentenced to 15 years imprisonment at Ipswich Crown Court on January 26, 2022.
Smith denied three counts of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity but was found guilty by a jury at trial.
Judge Emma Peters also ordered Smith to sign the sex offenders' register for life and imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Smith appeared at the Court of Appeal today to argue against the sentence imposed on him, as his jail time exceeds the maximum statutory sentence.
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Initially sentenced to eight years on counts one and two, the third count extended his sentence to 15 years which was deemed "potentially unlawful".
The Court of Appeal hearing was solely concerned with the lawfulness of his sentence and the appeal was allowed on this basis.
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