A paedophile who sexually abused a young Basildon girl fully prepared himself for a jail sentence.
Arthritis sufferer Colin Elks, 47, sold the flat where he committed some of the offences and even took his walking stick to court.
Elks was not surprised when a judge sent him to prison for two years.
He pleaded guilty at Basildon Crown Court to five counts of indecency against the girl who was nine at the time. She is now aged 16.
His barrister, Louise D'Arcy said: "He makes no excuses for his behaviour. He believes he should go to prison and be made to pay for his actions."
Miss D'Arcy said: "The defendant does not blame the girl in any way. He told me, 'There's nothing I can do to right the wrong. I hope she can move on and make a success of her life'."
Prosecutor Gelaga King said Elks had befriended the girl's family and they trusted him.
In February this year her father received a phone call from a friend of the girl to say she had something to tell him which was not very nice.
Mr King said when the girl returned home the father questioned her. It was revealed Elks had asked her to perform sexual acts on several occasions.
Police arrested Elks, now of no fixed address, who admitted the offences. He described how they had happened at his London flat when the girl's parents had been away.
Elks name was also placed on the national sex offenders' register for ten years.
Published Tuesday August 17, 2004
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