A man who sexually assaulted and raped his stepdaughter has been jailed for 13 years.
York Crown Court heard how the 45-year-old man from Selby waited until his wife was at work before sneaking into the primary school age girl’s bedroom where she was asleep.
The man was found guilty of two counts of assault of a child under the age of 13 by penetration and one count of rape of a child under the age of 13. In court he sat with his face in his hands, repeatedly shaking his head at the evidence.
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His stepdaughter reported the abuse to police in 2019. It had started in 2010 when her mother formed a relationship with the man and he moved in.
The girl had hoped to be part of a family now that her mum had found happiness. On his arrest, police found he had an app called ‘date my daughter’ downloaded on his phone.
After questioning, the step dad threatened to commit suicide by jumping off the Humber Bridge.
The Recorder at York Crown Court, Mr Enoch QC told the man: “You have a perverted sexual interest in young children. I have no doubt that you preyed on her.
“She was exactly the right age for you to indulge your fantasies. You are a true coward.
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“You thought about taking the coward’s way out on the Humber Bridge. The reality is the prison gates were on the horizon.”
DC Atkinson of North Yorkshire Police was involved with the case from the start, he told YorkMix: “I can do no more than echo the comments of the trial judge. This man is a dangerous paedophile.”
The man has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.