Hartlepool deviant's sexual abuse leaves young victim traumatised

Richard West 'disgraceful' assaults on the youngster only came to light when they plucked up the courage to tell people what was happening to her.

The 65-year-old pervert carried out a number of horrific sex acts on the child, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Philip Morley, prosecuting, said as a result of the abuse the victim's mother blamed herself for the ordeal her daughter suffered at the hands of West.

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Mr Morley read out extracts of the mother's victim impact statement to the court saying: "He has taken away a huge part of her little girl's life by what he has done. My little girl is at an age where the memories and nightmares of a child being sexually assaulted will stay with her for life.

"A sentence she never asked for or deserved."

He said the mother continued to blame herself for not be able to protect her daughter and his abuse had left her unable to trust people.

"I have lost my life, my children have lost theirs, my little girl has to live with this for the rest of her life – the fact she was sexually assaulted as a child."

Richard West

Mr Morley said West told officers that he had no sexual interest in children following his arrest.

West, of Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault on a child under 13.

Alex Bousfield, in mitigation, said his client accepted fully responsibility for his actions and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He said: "There isn't anything really that I can say in mitigation – it is inexcusable and he knows that.

"It's clear he does regret his actions and he has expressed that he is sorry for what he has done and accepted full responsibility for his behaviour.

"He accepts that he has to be punished. He accepts that he has clearly ruined this young girl's life."

Judge Stephen Ashurst said: "You chose to behave in a disgraceful way towards that young girl. What you did was seriously deviant and happened on a number of occasions.

"It has left the victim distressed and traumatised by what happened to her."

West was also given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the sex offenders' register.