PERVERT ADMITS RAPING CHILD
Sex offender jailed after revealing shocking crime during lie detector test
A pervert who admitted he had raped a child when he was given a lie detector test while under investigation for unrelated sex offences has been jailed for almost a decade.
In 2018, David Nicholson was given a community order after he travelled to Sunderland to meet a 13-year-old girl he believed he had been chatting to online but was instead confronted by paedophile hunters Dark Justice, who had set up the fake profile.
The 46-year-old, who had 16 illegal images of children on his phone, was asked by the police during the arrest and investigationprocess if he would participate in a polygraph test.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Nicholson agreed and confessed during the lie detector questioning that he had attacked a girl in his past, while he was living in a beds it in Sunderland, and told detectives who she was.
The court heard that the victim, who is now an adult, was interviewed by detectives and found the courage to share sickening details of her shocking ordeal.
Nicholson, now of Gatacre Street, Blyth, Northumberland, admitted rape and six offences of indecent assault.
Judge Stephen Earl praised the victim's courage in providing details of her ordeal when she was approached by the police and jailed Nicholson for nine years and four months with a two-year extended licence period.
The judge said: "It was the police who approached her initiallybecause of the fact he had undertaken a poly graph test in relation to the 2018 offending, unrelated to her.
"It is testament to her bravely she was able to do so.
"A number of people do not do so ever, many people do not do so for a good many years."
Judge Earl applauded the "inner strength" of the victim in speaking out.
Nicholson must now sign the sex offenders register and abide by the terms of a sexual harm prevention order for life.
The victim said in her impact statements he has managedto make a" healthy life" for herself and is proud of all she has achieved, despite her traumatic past.
She said: "I haven't let this man' s abuse destroy my life entirely. He stole my childhood but he has not stolen my adulthood."
Liam O'Brien, defending, said: "He cannot take back what he has done but he does apologise for it.
"There appears to be genuine expressions of remorse.”