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A sailor who molested a young girl knowing he was being investigated for abusing another child has received his second prison sentence in a year.

Lawrence Ireland, 65, is already behind bars for sexual abusing a schoolgirl while he was dressed in woman’s clothes.

The former Navy man, coastguard and HGV driver was jailed again at Teesside Crown Court for sex crimes against a second girl.

But a judge said the new three-year prison term would run alongside his existing sentence, not on top of it, saying a consecutive punishment would be too long.

Ireland groomed, sexually assaulted and hurt an underage girl, trying to get her on her own and telling her it was “their little secret”.

He continued to touch her even while being investigated for other sexual abuse, the court heard.

The police told the girl’s mother of the other allegations, but she did not believe them and allowed him to have unsupervised contact with the girl, said prosecutor Rupert Doswell.

The girl later told a friend what had happened to her.

Ireland, formerly of Troutbeck Road, Redcar , was arrested and initially denied sexual wrongdoing.

He later admitted seven sexual assault charges.

The other case concluded in February last year when he was jailed for four years and 11 months after he admitted abusing the other girl.

In that separate case, Ireland groomed the girl, tied her up and touched her while he dressed up in women’s clothes decades ago.

He is now a “trusted prisoner” at HMP Northumberland, and one of 14 or 15 inmates allowed out to attend an Age UK seminar.

Christine Egerton, defending, said: “He accepted responsibility for what happened. He is sorry for what he did. He pleaded guilty because he did those things which were wrong.

“He is clearly a man who has a problem and his offending demonstrates that he does need help.”

She said the most serious assault happened only once while the less serious offences were repeated.

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The judge, Recorder Ewan Duff, said the offences for which Ireland was already in prison were “even graver” than the latest crimes.

He told Ireland: “This offending is aggravated by the fact that it was committed during the time that those earlier matters were under investigation.

“You weren’t supposed to have unsupervised contact with children.

“It is a matter of great regret that you were allowed unsupervised contact and continued this offending.”

He jailed Ireland for three years, but decided not to make it consecutive to his current sentence.

“That would be too great a term of imprisonment in respect of the totality of this offending, your previous record, your pleas of guilty and your age,” he added.

“This sentence will begin today.

“That may delay your release somewhat but not by an enormous amount. It will not prolong it hugely.”

Ireland was given a sexual harm prevention order, a restraining order and will be on the sex offenders’ register, all indefinitely.