A judge has praised a six-year-old Norfolk victim of a sex assault for finding the courage to tell her family what happened, as the man responsible was jailed.

Kristopher Kealey, 39, indecently touched the girl as she was sitting on a sofa at a party in North Walsham. It was after the child left the event and was alone with her mother that she confided what had happened, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Charles Falk, prosecuting, said the girl's family then contacted police and Kealey was arrested.

Mr Falk said that the victim was vulnerable because of her young age.

He read part of an impact statement from the victim's mother in which she said they were now worried about how the assault would affect their child when she is older and were concerned that the victim was put through a trial.

But he said the family wanted to make sure no other child would have to go through the same ordeal as their daughter.

Kealey, of no fixed address, had denied sexually assaulting the child but was convicted following a trial and appeared for sentence on Friday.

Jailing him for two years and placing him on the sex offender's register for 10 years, judge Katharine Moore said that Kealey's behaviour was worrying as there were people nearby at the party when he carried out the assault.

'There were adults in close proximity but that did not deter you and it seems to me your willingness to take a risk in that way is particularly concerning,' she said.

She added that as soon as the victim left the party she told her mum and praised the victim for doing so. She said: 'As soon as she left she told her mum just what you had done. I commend her. It was just the right thing to have done.'

Judge Moore said that despite the verdict he was still denying the offence and said: 'I have been unable to detect a shred of remorse.'

She said she concluded Kealey was a danger to young girls and made him subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

She told him: 'Because of the risk you present to children I am making an order to protect them.'

Jonathan Goodman, for Kealey, said that he was of previous good character.

He said there was little he could say in mitigation as Kealey still denied the offence.