Daren Skillings 58

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A persistent sex offender who got away with his crimes against two young girls in Calderdale has finally been jailed after he went on to rape another child.

Daren Skillings, now 57, was interviewed by police almost a decade ago about his abuse of the first two complainants, but he denied any offending at the time and no further action was taken.

Prosecutor Jayne Beckett told Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday that the case was only reopened after Skillings, now of Sticker Lane, Bradford, was accused of abusing and raping a third young girl several years later.

One of Skillings’ first victims faced him in court and finally saw him jailed for 11 years. He was handed an additional extended licence period of one year, to be served at the end of the sentence.

Mrs Beckett read moving victim impact statements from all three complainants, who must not be identified for legal reasons, in which they described the nightmares, flashbacks and trauma they had suffered as a result of Skillings’ offending.

One of his first victims said she was sad it had taken years for her to get justice. She said: “I never got my justice when I first reported it...I wasn’t believed." She said the subsequent rape offence could have been prevented and she now hoped Skillings would never hurt anyone again.

The third victim said she suffered nightmares and flashbacks on a regular basis and every part of her life was difficult.

Skillings, who will now have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, pleaded guilty to the rape and abuse charges involving his most recent victim and was found guilty of abusing the two other complainants by a jury following a trial.

Catherine Silverton, for Skillings, said he had always accepted responsibility for the rape and was deeply ashamed and remorseful. She said he had been a hard-working man who appeared to have been a “functioning alcoholic”.

Jailing Skillings, Judge Armstrong said the victim statements made very moving reading. He said the original case had not been pursued nearer the time and it was only following the more recent matters that it had been resurrected.

Skillings will now have to serve two-thirds of his 11-year prison sentence and he will have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order when he is finally released on licence.