A perverted stepfather who used his teenager

A perverted stepfather who used his teenager daughter to
‘gratify his own needs’ for more than a decade has been jailed
for nine years at the Old Bailey.

The 50-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons,
subjugated the girl until she was 19, and twice made her pregnant
when was in her late teens.

An early complaint to a teacher about the abuse was ‘never
really investigated’, allowing him to continue his reign of
terror, the court heard.

His victim, now aged 26, only summoned the courage to go to
the police when he continued to pursue her after she had left the

family’s Plaistow home and tried to start a new life elsewhere.

She was in court to see him found guilty of rape and indecent
assault.

Jailing him for nine years, Judge Richard Lowry QC told him he
had shown no remorse for the corruption of his victim.

‘She was entitled to guidance and trust from you, but her body
was used by you to gratify your own needs.

‘
The jury was told the abuse began when he indecently touched
the seven year old during the massages she lovingly used to give
him to aid his bad back.

She complained to a teacher and although she was placed in
care, the allegation was ‘never really investigated,’ said Mr
Andrew Lloyd-Eley, prosecuting.

She was returned to his home, where the attacks escalated into
rape, beginning with an attempt when his shift-working wife was
in hospital giving birth to one of their four children.

He made her pregnant twice and arranged two secret abortions.

The terrified teenager suffered in silence even after she left
home in 1986 and did not complain until his pestering drove her
to make a new allegation against him.

He admitted arranging the abortions but strongly denied being
responsible for the pregnancy.

His only concession was an admission that she had made ap
proaches to him when she was 19 and ‘forced him to make love to
her.

‘
He steadfastly repeated his claim to innocence in the witness
box.

The jury deliberated for more than four hours before
returning guilty verdicts on all counts.

Judge Lowry was told his wife, who had not known about the
attacks, had now divorced him.

He told the defendant: ‘There was no real remorse shown by you.

‘You continued to think of yourself.

‘
Judge Lowry said the jail sentence would have been longer but
for the defendant’s age, his impeccable work record, heart trou
ble and the effect of his conviction on innocent members of his
family.

ENDS