Child abuser jailed for 16 years for ‘campaign of rape’ against girl in P1 at time of offences

After a five day trial, the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, was convicted of eight charges including four of rape, two of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two of sexual assault.

All of the offences occurred on dates between August 1, 2010 and July 1, 2012, when the child was aged between five and seven and the defendant was aged between 33 and 35.

The child said the abuse happened 'on a regular basis’ and ‘just did not stop once it had started'.

She added that she came to believe it was 'normal'.

She said that, sometimes, the defendant would take her to a shop and buy her a DVD after abusing her.

The court heard the defendant had 'held himself out to her as her natural father.'

The abuse continued until the child was taken into care and only came to light some ten years later when she told her adoptive father what had happened.

Judge Philip Babington said the defendant had told probation he had no memory of committing the offences but added, 'I throw my hands up to it and accept that I am guilty.'

The judge said that it was 'a qualified acceptance' of guilt but said the accused blamed it on his 'lifestyle choices.'

An expert report said the accused was applying a defence of 'substance abuse amnesia' to distance himself from being a sex offender.

The court heard that the man has 102 convictions for a variety of offences and presented a high risk of re-offending.

Judge Babington told the defendant the offences were carried out 'for your own gratuitous reasons and without any regard for the welfare and upbringing of a child who was ostensibly in your care.'

The man was jailed for 16 years. Half of this will be in custody.

He will also sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for an indefinite period and be subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), again for an indefinite period.