A RAPIST who threatened to kill his young victim if she revealed they were having sex has been jailed for ten years.
John Todd, 50, had been awaiting sentence following his trial at Teesside Crown Court earlier this year when he was found guilty of three charges of rape, one of child cruelty and five specimen counts of indecent assault.
His victim, now 16, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury that she did not dare say no to his advances after he said he would murder her if she told anyone. The offences began happening when she was 11.
Todd, previously of West View, Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, and now of Dowbiggin Foot, Sedburgh, Cumbria, had admitted indecently assaulting the girl.
Judge David Bryant gave Todd ten years for the rapes, five for the indecent assaults, and three years for the offence of child cruelty, all to run concurrently.
He said that Todd had breached the girl's trust.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article