A man has been jailed for 33 years after being convicted of child sexual offences, including some committed in the Bordon area.

Michael Lovelace, 49, of Tallis Gardens in Basingstoke, committed the series of offences in both Bordon and Southsea between 2012 and 2023.

In December, a jury at Winchester Crown Court found him guilty of charges including five counts of inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of sexual assault on a girl under 13, rape of a child under 13, and six counts of rape.

The abuse was first reported to police in March 2023 and an investigation was launched by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s specialist team.

Lovelace appeared again at Winchester on Monday (March 2) where he was sentenced to 33 years imprisonment with an extended licence for eight years.

He has also been handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life.

Police Staff Investigator Karen Slade of the Major Crime Team North (formerly of the Amberstone Team) said, “I am very pleased with this result and to see Lovelace jailed for a considerable length of time for his abhorrent actions.

“Whilst no sentence will ever atone for the suffering that Lovelace has caused, I am glad that we have been able to bring some form of justice to the victims. I hope that this can help them begin to rebuild their lives, knowing that he is now behind bars as he deserves to be.

“I would like to thank the victims for their courage, resilience and support throughout this investigation, which has enabled us to get this result.

“We want to encourage anyone who has been affected by child sexual abuse to please report this to us. We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously and promise you that we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 to speak to an officer in confidence, or report a crime online via the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website.

For details of independent support available locally, visit the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website and search for support for victims of rape and sexual assault.

Police said they recognise not everyone feels able to speak to officers about their experiences and stressed that specialist services are available to help people cope with the impact of abuse.

Those not ready to contact police can call Childline on 0800 11 11. Adults affected can contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.