Locations
Homington Avenue, Coate, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3
Description
A man from Swindon has been found guilty of multiple counts of raping a young girl during a "horrific" and "traumatic ordeal". Matthew Vandross, 30, of Homington Avenue, was found guilty by a jury following a five-date trial at Salisbury Crown Court of raping a child under the age of 13 four times.
The offences took place between October 2020 and May 2021 and Wiltshire Police said the victim was under 10 years old when she reported the incidents to the police, accompanied by a friend who had seen what she had been through. Detective Constable Mel Neal, from the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said Vandross had abused the victim in the "worst and most horrific way".
DC Neal added a personal tribute to the two children involved for "extreme bravery and courage beyond their years", despite their ordeal. "Working within the Child Abuse Investigation Team, we come to work every day to protect people like these two girls and secure some form of justice for them," she added.
Vandross is due to be sentenced on November 15. He was found guilty of sexual assault by touching, 21 counts of digital penetration and four charges of rape of a child under 13.
DC Neal said: "Since the beginning of this investigation, we have worked closely with partner agencies to ensure the victims in this case received the appropriate support and safeguarding they required. This predatory offender took advantage of a vulnerable child and abused her in the worst and most horrific way. Not only that, but he made horrific threats towards her if she dared report his offending to police.
"I would like to personally pay tribute to the two children involved in this case – it is thanks to their bravery that we secured a successful prosecution. Both girls have shown extreme bravery and courage beyond their years, despite enduring such a traumatic ordeal. Working within the Child Abuse Investigation Team, we come to work every day to protect people like these two girls and secure some form of justice for them.
"I would urge anyone who has been a victim of sex abuse to report it to police – no matter how much time has passed since the offences took place. We are committed to targeting dangerous offenders like Vandross and will do everything we can to ensure they are put before the courts."