A 45-year-old Telford man who committed a number of sexual offences against a child, including rape, has been sentenced to an indeterminate prison term to protect the public.

Jonathan Neil Bowen of Bricklin Mews, Hadley, was sentenced to a minimum term of 11 years in prison for the offence of rape and told the earliest he would be able to apply for parole would be in five-and-a-half years.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday Judge Robin Onions told Bowen: “Only you will know how you allowed yourself to get into this situation. It is about as bad a case of its type as I have come across as a judge. I am convinced that you are a substantial risk of serious harm to children you come into contact with.

“Your risk is of such a degree and nature that there should be an assessment by the parole board to see when, if ever, you should be released.”

Bowen previously admitted oral rape of a girl under the age of 13, seven charges of making indecent photographs of children, five charges of distributing indecent images of children and one count of sexual assault. All of the offences took place between 2004 and 2009.

He was sentenced to three years and four months for the sexual assault and two years on each remaining count to run concurrently with each other and with the 11-year sentence.

Mr Daniel White, for Bowen, said: “He is utterly ashamed of his behaviour. He tells me not a day has gone by that he doesn’t wish he was not here.”