A MAN who repeatedly raped a vulnerable young girl, when she was just eight years old, has been jailed for 18 years.

Stephen West used threats and intimidation to force the child to submit, saying he would kill her dogs if she told.

And the 56-year-old took every opportunity to meet the child as she walked her pets near her home in Lyneham.

West, who denied guilt, was convicted of rape and other sex offences on Friday at Swindon Crown Court.

The jury of eight men and four women were told how the family friend committed the offences between June 1997 and June 2005.

Giving evidence, the victim, now in her 20s, told how when she was about eight she would walk her dogs in fields near her home.

She said the first time he raped her she bumped into him in a dry summer field. He was smoking and she told him it was irresponsible.

He grabbed her, put his hands around her throat, pulled down her trousers and forced himself on her.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told the court “She said if she screamed he tightened his grip round her neck.

“He told her if she told anybody about what was happening he would kill her family and he would kill her dogs.”

West had a number of convictions for violence which the victim was aware of, the court was told, which added to her fear that he would go through with his threats.

The jury heard how on one occasion, the girl fled through a window when the defendant visited the family home.

West, now of Old Brewery Lane, Tetbury, Gloucester-shire, was convicted of six counts of rape, three of indecent assault and one of gross indecency with a child.

Many of the charges were multi-incident counts, meaning they were repeated acts.

He was cleared of one charge of rape and one of indecent assault.

Peter Corrigan, defending, said his client still maintained his denials over the offences taking place.

He said that he suffered from a number of medical conditions including having operations to remove cancerous tumours and heart problems.

Jailing him, Recorder Ian Lawrie QC, said: “You have been convicted after a trial on, in my judgement, the most compelling evidence, which was given by the victim.

“You took advantage of her because she was vulnerable on a number of levels. She was an unhappy child.

“It is clear your depraved behaviour over the seven-and-a-half years made things worse. You habitually raped her and committed indecent assaults.

“She has no doubt suffered a significant and long lasting effect from the trauma.

“She is a broken woman emotionally and psychologically: the real blame for that must lie with you and your behaviour. If she ever manages to surmount the trauma it will be surprising.”

As well as jailing him he said he would have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.