Child rapist jailed for girl's abuse 40 years ago
Northumbria PoliceA child rapist who abused a girl four decades ago has been jailed for 17 years.
Jeffrey Rose, 75, had lived "at large" for years after molesting and raping his young victim, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
He was found guilty of 20 offences including rape, attempted rape and indecent assault after a third trial in October last year.
The victim previously reported the abuse when she was a teenager but no action was taken at the time, the court heard.
The woman told the court Rose, of Hazel Cottages in Otterburn, Northumberland, had made her feel "powerless" and like a "piece of meat", adding: "I was like a helpless lamb caught in barbed wire."
She said her childhood had been non-existent and her adulthood was blighted by severe mental health difficulties and illnesses which had led to her trying to take her own life on a several occasions.
"The only memories I have are of abuse, fear and sadness," the woman said.
She said making the decision to report it again years later after her previous claim had led to no action was "very hard", adding: "I thought there was nothing I could do."
'Terrible crimes'
The court heard that a first trial had to be aborted and a second resulted in a hung jury before Rose was finally found guilty after a five-day hearing in October.
The woman said the trials were "devastating" and she knew Rose would "lie", adding she would "never forgive" him for the trauma he had inflicted.
But she also knew she had to keep trying to get justice adding that the ordeal had made her realise she was not the weak person she had always believed herself to be.
In mitigation, the court heard Rose, a former heating engineer who had lived for 13 years in Greece after his retirement before returning to the North East, maintained his denials.
Judge Nathan Adams said Rose had been living "at large" for years when he would have enjoyed the benefits of being a younger and healthier man.
While some of his offences could carry life imprisonment now, Rose had to be sentenced in accordance with the guidelines at the time of his offending, the court heard.
Judge Adams said Rose's crimes were "terrible" and had had a "significant impact" on the victim.
The judge also said comments Rose had made to probation staff about committing suicide in prison should be passed to detention officers as a priority.
Rose will be released after 10 years and eight months with the remainder to be served on licence.
He will also have to sign the sex offenders register for life, the court heard.