‘Selfie queen’ Karen’s brother jailed for raping her as child
THE BROTHER of ‘selfie queen’ Karen Danczuk has been jailed after being exposed as a serial rapist who forced himself on her when she was just nine.
Michael Burke, 38, of College Bank, was found guilty of raping Mrs Danczuk - the estranged wife of MP Simon Danczuk - at a Manchester Crown Court trial.
He was also convicted of attacks on two other women - one of whom was just 12 when she was attacked by him.
Looking gaunt and hollow-eyed n the dock, Burke shook his head in apparent disbelief as Mr Justice Gilbart branded him a danger to women and sentenced him to 15 years, with an extended licence period of five years.
The judge told Burke he had shown not a ‘shred of remorse’ for his behaviour.
It was while serving as a Kingsway councillor that Mrs Danczuk, 33, began posting ‘selfies’ online. The publicity led to her developing a media career, and it was in a tabloid interview that she first revealed she had been raped as a child. When she identified the attacker as her own brother other victims of Burke came forward, and police learnt he had attacked three women over a 20 year period.
Testifying against Burke during the trial last month Mrs Danczuk claimed she had grown up in a dysfunctional home in Middleton where her mother’s lover shared the household with her parents.
She claimed her mother was distant, that her father worked round-the-clock, and that her brother Michael had begun grooming her from the age of six for sex, before getting into her bed and raping her from the age of nine as their other siblings slept.
“It was horrible”, she said. “Most people remember their first time having sex with someone they love, my first time having sex is with my brother.
“It’s something I have to live with for the rest of my life, and it will never ever change.”
She went on to describe her struggles with mental health and the ins and outs of her celebrity career, the proceeds of which she said she kept in a trust fund for her children.
Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Danczuk’s life had been blighted by the abuse she had suffered. “It’s a legacy she has borne throughout her formative years and into adulthood”, he added.
Nicholas Walker, defending, said Burke had suffered a downfall of a ‘very public nature’.
“It’s a feature of this case he can’t enjoy the luxury of anonymity as others may enjoy”, Mr Walker added.
Mr Justice Gilbart said he did accept that former Labour party activist Burke had ‘done something for the community’, with Mr Walker adding that he had also been a school governor.
Sentencing Burke for eight rape charges and one of buggery, the High Court judge told him: “Your first victim was your sister, what had been tickling games and hide and seek in and out of your bedroom turned into you wanting her touch you and then, when you got to 14, to exploit her further.
“Whether she was nine, 10 or 11 at the date of the first rape is not clear, but on any view she was a young girl who had not reached puberty.
“After she had endured your attentions up to the age of 11 she stood up to you, you didn’t touch her again.
“You have shown not a shred of remorse. In your defence you spent much of your time claiming she had orchestrated a conspiracy against you, a claim I regard as entirely absurd. Your second victim was a naive 12-yearold. You did not care whether she agreed or not, forcing herself on her just as you had your sister.
“You made (the third victim) submit. Here too you alleged she was part of the conspiracy orchestrated by your sister.
“You have attitude towards women that reveals a self-justifying lack of insight.”
Karen Danczuk was legally entitled to anonymity as a victim of a sex assault, but formally waived it after Michael Burke was found guilty.