Locations
Hammersley Hayes Road, Cheadle, Staffordshire, ST10
Description
Paedophile Ivan Keeling has been jailed for 16 years after being convicted of raping and sexually abusing a schoolgirl.
The pervert pensioner groomed his young victim before subjecting her to a 'campaign of abuse' over an eight-year period.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the 71-year-old plied his victim with money, cigarettes, alcohol and chocolates before sexually assaulting and raping her. The victim has been left psychologically affected by the abuse.
Keeling, of Hammersley Hayes Road, Cheadle, denied sexual assault of a child under 13; rape of a child under 13; and two offences of sexual activity with a child. But he was found guilty of all the offences after a trial this week.
Elizabeth Power, mitigating, said: "It is difficult to find words to mitigate for such offences which he has now been convicted of. The jury accepted what the complainant said. On her evidence it was a sustained and prolonged number of offences over some time."
He told the defendant: "You have been convicted of a catalogue of the most serious sexual offences against a child.
"There is no doubt whatsoever, having heard the evidence, that you commenced a campaign of sexual abuse against her. You behaved in a way which was, quite frankly, appalling.
"You provided her with things she wanted, items of confectionery, cigarettes, alcohol and money. But all at a price that she satisfied your sexual predilections for many years.
"Throughout the trial you have completely denied any responsibility. It was perfectly clear to me and the jury that what was happening was a campaign of sexual behaviour towards a vulnerable child."