Alfred Weller 31

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A ‘disgusting’ Leigh Park paedophile has been jailed for 12 years for raping a girl and taking photos of his sordid attacks despite being on the radar of social services.

Alfred Weller carried out sex attacks on the helpless child under 13 over a period of years for his own warped sexual gratification, Portsmouth Crown Court heard. It was told the ‘canny’ 30-year-old took dozens of pictures of the humiliated victim during his depraved assaults. Weller, of Spinner Drive, was sentenced for the ‘sustained’ sexual assaults before a police investigation snared the predator resulting in his arrest in December 2022.

Judge Richard Shepherd told disgraced Weller: ‘You raped and abused a young girl. Not only did you rape her but you took photos of the abuse including the rape. It was over a prolonged period of time. The number of images of the young girl ran into the dozens.’

The court heard Weller had 44 Category A indecent images of his victim - the most extreme classification. He also had 51 Category B and 67 Category C of the child.

The police probe also revealed 215 Category A indecent images, 221 Category B and 324 Category C images of other children.

Prosecutor Barry McElduff said Weller was known to social services with his ‘background a concern’ that had been previously flagged. But the barrister said the defendant still ‘found a way to abuse’ the victim.

He was arrested in December over the sexual abuse, with the girl telling officers: ‘He’s been doing it for years.’

Police investigations led to recordings being discovered before they were able to piece together and ‘confidently conclude’ Weller was responsible for the abuse.

The judge branded Weller ‘canny’ and ‘disgusting’ for carrying out the ‘prolonged sexual abuse’ that took place where the child was supposed to be safe but ‘was anything but (safe)’.

Weller was convicted of rape, five counts of sexual assault, and six charges of having indecent images of a child.

Judge Shepherd took into account Weller’s own ‘difficulties and vulnerabilities’ with him ‘immature for his chronological age’ before jailing him for 12 years. He will serve two-thirds in jail before being released on licence.

Weller will have to comply with sex offender notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for the rest of his life.