‘Sex slave’ child rapist is sent to jail for 22 years
AMAN who repeatedly raped a single victim over a 14-year period has been given an extended 25-year sentence.
Judge Geraint Walters said the conduct of David Hart, of Chemical Road, Morriston, Swansea, “passes the boundaries of human understanding” and described the 60-year-old as “a controlling bully and devious sexual predator” while handing down the sentence at Swansea Crown Court.
He said his victim had suffered “horrific sexual abuse at your hands, which you carried out with impunity” and added: “It is no exaggeration to say you have ruined that girl’s life. You have abused her like some captive animal.”
Taxi driver Hart had denied 16 charges, some of which were specimen counts representing “scores” of offences. But he had been found guilty by a jury on each count, by a majority verdict of 11-1.
His appearance in the dock came after a police hunt following his disappearance from Morriston Hospital, where he had admitted himself on the final day of the trial, when the jury retired to consider their verdict and announced their decision.
Judge Walters had criticised the communication between South Wales Police and Morriston Hospital for the way Hart had been able to leave the hospital following his conviction. He was later arrested at his home.
ABMU, the health board which runs the hospital, has said since that it followed its protocol describing dealings between it and the police.
Hart’s victim was in court to see him sent down.
Judge Walters added: “The physical pain [of your victim] pales into insignificance to the psychological pain”, adding, “it is not surprising some members of the jury struggled to hide raw emotion” when listening to details of some of the “stomach-churning” evidence.
The court had heard that Hart had begun his abuse when his victim was aged 11 or 12, which began by “violently” taking her virginity, and that he had drugged his victim, and shared his abuse with fellow paedophiles online, sometimes with hundreds watching.
Judge Walters added: “It is an account that will live in the minds for a long time of all those who heard it. She was a sexual slave to you.”
Handing down his sentence, Judge Walters said: “You lied consistently. I have rarely heard one man lie so much during a trial.”
He revealed Hart had told police, after going missing from hospital, that he had “everything to live for” because he had a new Filipina partner, who was expecting his child, and it was “ironic” that he had presented a good character reference to the court from a local businessman who had described his charitable work with Filipino children.
Mitigating, Frank Phillips told the court Hart was 60, not in the best of health, that his offending had stopped before police had begun their investigation, and he was previous good character.
But Judge Walters said he had shown no remorse at all, and concluded he continued to represent further risk.
He was told he would serve 22 years, with a further three on licence, and was made subject to a restraining order forbidding him from having any contact, directly or indirectly, with his victim ever again.