FILEY & HUNMANBY MERCURY,
Judge says he robbed his victim of her childhood as he hands down sentence
‘You did indeed rob that little girl of her childhood’ Judge Paul Batty QC
A paedophile who raped and sexually abused a girl during a five-year grooming campaign has been jailed for 20 years and place on the sex-offenders’ register for life.
Roger Brambles, 59, of Hunmanby, abused the girl on “numerous” occasions and tried to buy her silence by offering her gifts, York Crown Court heard.
The pervert told the girl that the gross acts were “just a bit of fun” and “their secret”.
The girl was initially too afraid to tell anyone because she didn’t think she’d be believed, but she eventually told her parents and Brambles was arrested in September last year.
He claimed the girl was lying but was charged with 11 counts of sexual assault and four counts of rape.
He denied all allegations and took the case to trial, but his defence fell apart and a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all 15 counts.
During the week-long trial, the court heard that Brambles, of Simpson Avenue, swore the girl to secrecy.
Prosecutor Anne Richardson said the abuse occurred in the Hunmanby area.
She said:“He told her not to tell anyone and that he would buy her things to keep quiet,” said Ms Richardson.
In a victim statement read out in court, the girl said her life had been torn apart by Brambles’ wicked acts.
Defence barrister Martin Robertshaw said Brambles feared he would die in prison because he was in such a poor state of health.
Judge Paul Batty QC, who had even considered a life sentence, described the abuse as “the most appalling, prolonged debauching of a little girl”.
HesaidBrambleshadshown no remorse for “the vilest of offences” and still claimed he was innocent. “You did indeed rob that little girl of her childhood,” added Mr Batty.
Brambles showed no sign of emotion as he was sentenced and then led down to the cells.