Locations
Wythenshawe, Manchester, M22
Description
A monster raped a girl multiple times over nine months and recorded it on his phone to 'degrade and humiliate' her. Danny Harper, 31, sexually abused the girl and told her it was their little secret in order to stop her from reporting it.
Harper, of Wythenshawe, pleaded guilty to three offences of rape, two offences of sexual assault and one offence of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. Yesterday (March 15) he was jailed for 12 years and 10 months.
The court heard that Harper began abusing the girl in early 2020. He went on to take pictures of her genitals, prosecutor Brian Berlyne said.
She noticed him taking photos of her. She suffered pain as a result of the abuse. He told her it was their little secret. She felt unable to talk to anyone about the abuse.
Harpers offending only came to light following his conversations with a fake profile of a 10-year-old girl that was being run by a paedophile hunter group. He added her as a friend on Facebook and messaged her telling her that she was cute on September 3 last year. He asked about her age and she told him she was 10. He then asked what colour underwear she was wearing.
On September 18 he told the profile he could show her naughty things and teach her about sex. Harper then asked her to send a picture of her genitals and of her in her underwear.
Separately, his young victim courageously told her mum of Harpers abuse. She was medically examined and found to have injuries. Harper was arrested and his phone was seized and examined, of which officers found 45 indecent images of the girl, 15 of which showed him sexually abusing her, it was said.
In a police interview he said that he was a monster and that he never wore protection. He also said he messaged the profile because he was lonely. In a victim impact statement, the girls grandmother said that she was a happy, little soul and a very thoughtful child, but said when she told the police what happened she was physically sick.
She thought she was in trouble and we had to explain to her that she was not. She told me that man has ruined my life. This hit me hard. [Harper] has ruined all of our lives. He is a clever man who knew full well the consequences of his actions.
Harper was said to have one set of previous convictions which were unrelated.
There was genuine remorse and a desire not to subject her to any further suffering. He described himself as a monster in his interview, barrister Rachel White said, defending. He has learning difficulties, he was diagnosed with the autism spectrum disorder and he was diagnosed with ADHD. This began as opportunistic and the defendant became persistent in his conduct.
He wants to begin a new life and not offend again.
Sentencing, Judge John Potter said: Of these six counts to which you have pleaded guilty in these proceedings, represents the sustained and most dreadful sexual abuse of a child. Not using a condom and ejaculation are significant aggravating features of this offending, as is the clear grotesque evidence that you filmed those acts of abuse on your mobile phone. When after your arrest, your phone and seized and examined and it contained evidence of you degrading and humiliating her by filming the sexual abuse that took place.
This is depraved offending.
Harper was jailed for 12 years and 8 months, made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely and must sign onto the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.