Locations
Woodfield Road, Bude, Cornwall, EX23
Description
A paedophile rapist who raped a girl in the back of his delivery van has been given a huge sentence. Steven Bielby, 68, also met the young victim from school to rape and abuse her.
Bielby, of Woodfield Road in Bude, appeared at Truro Crown Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty to four rape charges and indecency with a child, but only after going on the run before entering guilty pleas. Bielby fled Cornwall before he was due to stand trial, but was pinged by an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera near Swindon and brought back to Cornwall when he eventually held his hands up to what he did.
Prosecuting the case, Jason Beal told the court how the offences took place more than 30 years ago. Bielby groomed the young girl by buying her presents and began sexually abusing her from aged 13. Mr Beal explained that Bielby was employed as a fruit and veg driver and would take her on journeys before raping her in the back and dropping her off. She attempted to deter him by saying she was worried somebody would see them but he carried on regardless.
This abuse took place on numerous occasions and Bielby also met the young victim from school to rape and abuse her at other locations. Mr Beal said: "She didn't fight it because it was so routine." He added that he encouraged his victim to shave her public hair and also steal condoms from shops.
In a victim impact statement the victim said she was denied a proper education as a result of the abuse and had few friends. She suffered a breakdown and was put on anti-psychotic medication. Representing Bielby, Rupert Taylor said that his client has health issues, is unwell and doesn't seek to minimise his actions.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Carr said: "This was systematic and long-term rape. You chose to groom and prepare her for the sex acts that followed. She could never protect herself of find anyone to go to protect her. You treated her as something that was disposable."
Addressing Bielby absconding, Judge Carr said it was "simple cowardice" and Bielby couldn't face up to what he had done. Bielby was jailed for 20 years.