Alexander Wilson 45

Description

A former police worker groomed a young girl and subjected her to a seven-year-long campaign of rape and abuse, a court has heard.

Alexander Wilson - who worked for two different police forces before latterly becoming a train manager - denied his guilt and forced his young victim to go through the ordeal of trial where she was seen to be visibly upset and shaking in the witness box as she gave evidence.

A judge said the 45-year-old had caused his victim enormous psychological harm while a police officer said the damage he had done to the child was "incalculable". Wilson has been given a 20-year extended sentence as a dangerous offender.

Swansea Crown Court heard the rapes began when the girl was aged around five and continued for some seven years. Mark Wyeth KC, prosecuting, described Wilson as being "cruel and emotionally manipulative" towards the child during the prolonged period of abuse.

The abuse finally ended after an incident where Wilson had forced the child to perform a sex act on him. The court heard the girl texted her mother a "codeword" and a particular emoji the pair had agreed she should use if she felt in danger. The girl's mother later spoke to her daughter and the child disclosed what had been going on.

The barrister said as a "part-time policeman" the defendant "was certainly a man who knew the difference between right and wrong" and he described him as a "dangerous, highly skilled and manipulative paedophile". Wilson, formerly of Glais, Swansea, but now of Nightingale Court, Llanelli, had previously been convicted at trial of two counts of the rape of a child under 13 - one charge relating to a specific incident and the other covering multiple occasions of rape - and of causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity when he returned to the dock for sentencing.

He has no previous convictions. Kevin Batch, for Wilson, said the defendant had been a man of not just clean character but of positive good character having worked as a civilian enquiries clerk for South Wales Police in Swansea, in a community liaison role for British Transport Police - a job which saw him regularly attending schools to give talks about the dangers of trespassing on the rails - and latterly a train manager and conductor for Arriva Trains. He said the defendant had earned enhanced prisoner status in prison and was a peer mentor helping other inmates with reading and writing.

Recorder Richard Booth KC said it was clear from everything he had read in the case and from presiding over the trial that Wilson had caused his young victim severe psychological harm. He said he would draw back from imposing a life sentence but said he was satisfied Wilson should be considered a dangerous offender and given an extended sentence.

Wilson was given a 20-year sentence comprising 17 years in custody followed by a three-year licence period. The defendant must serve two-thirds of the custodial element of the sentence before he can apply for release but it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be let out. Wilson will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life and was made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order to control his access to children.

Speaking after the sentencing South Wale Police detective constable Chris Medlicott said: "Alexander Wilson is a dangerous child sex predator who disgustingly took advantage of a child. Thankfully, his victim’s traumatic ordeal is now over - but the damage caused to them by Alexander Wilson’s offending will be incalculable. He will now, rightly, be sent to prison."