A paedophile who sexually abused and raped a schoolgirl 30 years ago was jailed for ten years yesterday.

Justice finally caught up with 50-year-old Brian Croce, from Middlesbrough, when a jury convicted him at Teesside Crown Court.

His victim went to the police last year, but yesterday when he appeared for sentence, he was still claiming his innocence.

The offences started in 1976 when the girl was nine, and Croce began to rape her when she was 11, said Matthew Bean, prosecuting.

Croce had since raised his own family and there had been no more offences, said Brian Russell mitigating.

"These offences were committed in very strange circumstances more than 30 years ago," he said.

"Since then, he has moved on, met a partner and raised a family and there has been no further complaint. It is quite clear from the pre-sentence report that he has had contact with children since, particularly his son, and there has been no problem."

He told the judge: "The sentence will have an impact upon him considering his age and his inexperience of the prison system.

"Can I ask you to keep the sentence as low as you possibly can."

Judge Peter Armstrong said that a probation officer's pre-sentence report recorded that Croce still denied the offences. He said the youngster was very vulnerable and Croce took advantage.

The judge told him: "You groomed her to use her as a girlfriend.

"You show no remorse whatsoever for what you did to her in a very serious way.

"Because of the trial it was possible to see the effect on her. You have been assessed a high risk of sexual re-offending."

Croce, of Eton Road, was jailed for ten years, ordered to register as a sex offender for life, and banned for life from working with, or having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 .

He was convicted of five specimen charges of rape and four of indecency with a child, and he admitted three offences of indecent assault.

Inspector Jason Dickson said: "Croce thought that his crimes had been forgotten, but his victim will never forget what he did to her. It was only through her strength and courage that this conviction was possible.