AUBURN - A woman who was in Cayuga County Court Tuesday to request that the man who sexually abused her 8-year-old granddaughter receive the maximum prison sentence, said seven years behind bars would be nothing compared with the trauma that the child was still going through.

The defendant, Douglas Clarkson, 61, formerly of Bridgeport, showed no emotion as the victim's family cried and held each other while the grandmother addressed Cayuga County Judge Mark Fandrich. The judge did give Clarkson the maximum punishment, seven years in prison and 10 years of post-release supervision.

"What (Clarkson) has put her through, she will have to live with it for the rest of her life," the grandmother said. "Seven years is nothing for that little girl who will have to go through counseling and live with this the rest of her life."

The Citizen does not publish the names of sex abuse victims or their family members.

Clarkson was convicted by a jury on Sept. 19 of felony second-degree course sexual conduct against a child and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Clarkson had originally faced 23 counts of sex abuse, or one charge for each week that he resided with the victim's family from October 2006 to March 2007.

Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said the jury only convicted Clarkson on one count of sex abuse because there was not enough evidence to tie each charge to a specific date.

But given the nature of the case and Clarkson's lack of remorse, Budelmann said the maximum seven-year prison term with 10 years of post-release supervision was appropriate.

During the trial, Budelmann presented DNA evidence, including tests showing Clarkson's body fluids mixed with DNA from at least one other person who may have been the victim. DNA evidence was found on the victim's bed sheets and the defendant's bathrobe.

"This defendant is a danger to the community . . . he subjected an 8-year-old child to sexual abuse and I am asking for the maximum sentence," Budelmann said.

After he sentenced Clarkson, Fandrich said he would issue an order of protection for the victim and that Clarkson would have to register as a sex offender.

Clarkson's attorney, Jethro Loftus, said his client planned to appeal the conviction, but did not elaborate.

For more from the day in court, read Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.