Child-rapist gets 34 years in jail
A RAPIST faces 34 years’ jail for attacks on a boy, two girls and a woman - often threatening to kill his victims.
Stuart Hooper’s “campaign of rape” began over 20 years ago and stopped after a decade. But it began again last year.
When he raped a woman, Nottingham Crown Court heard, he played out a fantasy that she was a child and told her: “Be a good girl.”
Another said: “He always threatened if I told anyone he would kill me and all my family. Physically, I have no visible scars. However, the emotional and mental scars will always remain.”
Nottingham’s senior judge QC Gregory Dickinson imposed a 34-year prison term on Hooper, who he classified as “highly dangerous.”
Because of the terms of the sentence, Hooper will have to wait over 22 years to seek parole. If he is still regarded as a public risk, he will have to serve the entire term. Even when freed, he must spend another eight years on licence, making him at risk of immediate return to prison.
After a nine-day trial, 44-year-old Hooper was found guilty of 14 rapes, other sexual assaults and causing actual bodily harm.
The judge said: “There were 24 counts of sexual violence. This was repeated violence carried out without mercy. There was a lack of acknowledgement and no hint of remorse. You are highly dangerous and will remain so for a long time.
“Because of the offences and the brutality, it is impossible to appreciative if and when it will ever be safe to release you.”
During the trial, Hooper accused the women of making false complaints and said they were trying to “destroy” him.
Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting, said: “These were campaigns of rape of three children. These involved children from a very tender age.
“There was violence and threats of violence used in relation to everyone. There were threats to kill one of the victim’s children in front of her.”
One girl kept on telling Hooper she was scared and asked him to stop. He continued the rape, replying: “Count to ten.”
Another said he was “the most evil and sadistic person” she had ever met.
Patrick Duffy, mitigating, said the incidents had a major impact on the four and told the judge: “As Mr Hooper’s defence advocate, I don’t want to minimise that or in any way to try and distance Mr Hooper from those very serious offences.
“These are very very serious offences. It has to be accepted that Mr Hooper is dangerous.
“He will serve a very long sentence. He will leave prison an old man.”
Hooper had no previous offences for sex abuse. When released from jail aged 22, he was found to be mentally ill, later suffering from “paranoia and abnormal thinking.” He had a difficult childhood.
“His life is not one of joy,” added Mr Duffy for Hooper, formerly of Chilwell.
Hooper gently rocked back and forwards while sitting in the dock during much of the hearing.
He will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register until he dies.