A former Lancashire man who raped a 14-year-old girl in an unoccupied house has been jailed for five years.

Thomas Gavin was 18 at the time of the offence, Preston Crown Court was told.

But various delays meant that the case took three years to come to court.

Gavin, now 22, had denied rape, but was found guilty after an earlier trial.

Judge Richard Gioserano said Gavin had continued to deny the offence and had shown no remorse.

The court heard that the victim had gone to an unoccupied house in Lytham St Annes with another girl in January 2021.

They were joined by Gavin and two other men. Gavin made various remarks to the girl and asked her her age.

She told him quite clearly that she was just 14.

When she went to use the bathroom, Gavin followed her and locked the door behind him.

She fought back as Gavin tried to undress her and despite her telling him to stop he continued the attack and raped her.

The girl told a friend what had happened and later confided in her mother.

When Gavin, now living in Abbotts Langley in Hertfordshire, was arrested he denied the offence.

But his DNA was found on the girl's underwear and he was found guilty after a trial.

Mr Roger Brown, defending, said there was nothing he could say about the offence itself.

Gavin had no previous history of violence or any other offence of this type.

He said Gavin was hard-working and had since moved south from Lancashire, setting up his own business.

"There is a considerable amount of shame for the defendant," said Mr Brown.

"He is working hard, and he is married and has a young child."

Judge Gioserano said that as well as the victim's suffering the case was "tragic" for Gavin's wife, child and family.

He said he accepted that Gavin was only 18 at the time of the rape, but the girl was 14.

Gavin had specifically asked her her age, which the judge felt clear was sexually motivated.

Judge Gioserano said: "You still deny you did anything to her that day. You have accused her of lying.

"There is no remorse for the harm you have caused."

He jailed Gavin for five years and placed him on the Sex Offenders' Register.

The judge also queried why the case took so long to come to court.

It was two years before Gavin was charged and another year before the trial was held.

The court heard that the Crown Prosecution Service did not initially think there was enough evidence to charge him.

After the victim appealed a review was held and a charge was brought.

Rapist who followed his 14-year-old victim to bathroom at house in Lytham to attack her jailed