Pervert jailed for raping young girl

7:08pm Friday 14th March 2008

A PAEDOPHILE who raped a girl under the age of ten has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Barry Thurtell, 37, was caught after the victim told her mother about the sick sex acts she had been subjected to.

When police searched Thurtell's home in Blackthorne Close, Wootton Bassett, they found a photograph on his mobile phone showing the child victim being forced to commit a sex act on him.

His computer also contained indecent pictures of five other children.

Susan Evans, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court: "She said he touched her at her own house and in the shed, bedroom and lounge at her own house and at his home.

"The defendant's computer was examined. Saved on the computer were five indecent images of children. They were teenage girls but plainly under 16.

"Of greater significance, was that on his mobile phone was a picture of the victim.

"When the defendant was interviewed he could offer no explanation. When asked about the photo he said I hope to God it wasn't me'. He said he had been drunk and couldn't remember if he had assaulted her.

"The victim's mother was asked to identify her daughter in a cropped version of that picture."

Miss Evans said the victim told her mother that Thurtell had touched her private parts when she was in the bathroom with him, but he denied it when confronted.

"Her mother believed the defendant and needless to say is wholly distraught that was her decision at that time," said Miss Evans.

"In July 2007, the victim told her mother again that Thurtell had touched her. She was eight years old at that time."

Miss Evans said that when she gave a statement to police the youngster said he will be dead mad'.

"In her interview she found it extremely difficult to talk to the officer. She said that the defendant was normally nice, but not when he was drunk."

In a statement the victim's mother told the court she was "very angry".

The distraught mum said that since finding the courage to speak out about the repeated abuse, her daughter had been "suffering stress and finding it hard to interact with other children."

Thurtell pleaded guilty to rape, two counts of sexual activity with a child, taking an indecent photograph of a child and possession of five indecent images of children.

Sentencing Thurtell to seven and a half years behind bars, Judge Douglas Field said: "You behaved this way to satisfy your own perverted sexual desires. This little girl was only eight.

"You have stolen her innocence.

"That is rape and serious rape and you photographed it on your mobile phone."

Thurtell will also have to comply with a sexual offences prevention order and will be on the sex offenders' register for the rest of his life.