Locations
Beck Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk
Description
A US airman has been jailed for raping a 12-year-old autistic girl he met on Snapchat while stationed in the UK.
Despite knowing the victim's age, Dennis Rocha, 18, turned their conversation sexual and arranged to pick her up the following day. He drove 140 miles from his base at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk to meet the victim in Wiltshire in April this year.
Rocha of Beck Row, Mildenhall, Suffolk, collected the girl from her home address and took her to a secluded spot, where the pair had intercourse in his car.
At the time, the girl told police she regretted it and felt angry with herself. Her mother said her daughter was diagnosed with autism when she was just four years old - and to this day struggles to cope.
She said her daughter has difficulties with communication, won't speak to strangers, can't make eye contact, doesn't socialise with friends and can't deal with mainstream education.
The girl told police she was sorry this had affected others including her mother, who she said wanted her to be older and in love when she lost her virginity.
Rocha was jailed for six years and eight months - and imposed a one-year licence extension period, for two counts of rape of a child aged under 13.
Chris Smyth, prosecuting, said that during the encounter, which lasted approximately one hour, the pair had intercourse numerous times. On one of the occasions, the condom slipped off.
Sentencing Judge James Townsend said: 'You had ample opportunity to think twice about what you were doing but you persisted.
'You knew that she was far younger than you and obviously vulnerable.
The defendant was handed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders' register on release. He was also placed on the DBS barred list.
Investigating officer DC Amanda Lord, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: 'Rocha instigated this encounter with the victim despite knowing she was underage.
'He knew what he was doing was illegal and had ample opportunity to cease contact with the victim, but continued and took advantage of her for his own gain.