Leeds child rapist brought to justice more than 30 years after sickening abuse
A rapist who persistently targeted an eight-year-old child has been jailed, more than 30 years after he carried out his sickening abuse.
Delroy Smithen was found guilty after trial at Leeds Crown Court of two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault dating back to the mid 1990s.
He was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
The court heard that 43-year-old Smithen was only in his mid teens when he started his campaign of abuse.
The pervert threatened the youngster into silence, telling her a member of her family would die if she tried to tell anyone.
She did eventually tell her family, but was not believed. She even contracted a sexually transmitted infection from Smithen.
In a victim impact statement, read to the court by prosecutor Gerald Hendron, the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Smithen’s abuse had caused a “long-term impact” on her life.
She said she has suffered persistent anxiety, emotional distress and fear, which affects her daily life.
The court heard Smithen, of Dunstan Villas, Kirton in Lindsey, North Lincolnshire, has been convicted twice before and been jailed, but not for sexual offences.
The judge, Recorder David Kelly said although Smithen was a child himself at the time, and that he had no previous sexual convictions, it still had to be an immediate sentence.
As well as jailing him, he also put Smithen on the sex offender register.