RAPIST JAILED FOR 18 YEARS
Formerprison officer behind barsforattacks onyounggirl
An ex-prison officer who raped and sexually abused a young girl has been jailed for 18 years.
Joseph Brettell, 65, committed the horrific crimes over the course of five years.
Brettell, of Rutherglen Road, Sunderland, denied the crimes – meaning the traumatised victim had to give evidence during a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
But he was found guilty by a jury of two counts of rape, two counts of rape of a child under 13, indecent assault, assault of a child under 13 by penetration and two counts of sexual activity with a child.
Brettell, now retired from his job in the prison service, was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment and was also put on the sex offenders’ register for life.
A close friend of the victim’s family said: “The great irony of this is Brettell was locking people up, when he should have been locked up himself.
“His crime has had a devastating impact on his victim.
“He thought he would get away with it, but he was wrong.
“Being on the sex offendcoming ers’ register means the public are now safe from this monster.”
Detective Constable Gillian Michael, from Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department, said: “I want to take this opportunity to praise the courage and bravery of the victim for forward and giving evidence.
“This was a shocking case and we are pleased Brettell is now behind bars, where he is no longer a risk to anyone.
“While we know no prison sentence can take away the painful memories Brettell has left his victim with, we hope it serves as a powerful reminder that we will not tolerate abuse or violence of any kind, and we will do everything in our power to ensure offenders who commit these truly awful crimes are brought to justice.”
“He was locking people up, when he should be locked up” VICTIM’S FRIEND