A MAN jailed for 12 years for a sickening series of rapes and sexual attacks on a young girl snivelled and cried throughout his sentencing.
Darren Campbell, aged 41, of Treverbyn Road, Plympton pleaded guilty at Plymouth Crown Court to six counts of rape, five counts of indecent assault, six counts of indecency with a child and three counts of inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency.
Prosecutor David Gittins said Campbell had regularly abused the girl for a decade starting when she was very young and into her teens.
He had forced her to perform numerous sex acts – too graphic for The Herald to print – becoming aggressive if she tried to refuse.
Mr Gittins explained how the specimen counts of serious sexual rape assaults covered a five year period, amounting to “between 20 and 30 times”.
He added how Campbell – who sat with his head facing downwards during the hearing, sniffing and wiping tears from his eyes – had also forced the girl to watch porn on his computer.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police Campbell had “ruined her childhood”.
He said Campbell, for his part, had described his own behaviour as “sick”.
In mitigation his advocate Nick Lewin said his client was “utterly disgusted” with himself” and felt “obvious remorse” and “genuine shame”.
When Mr Lewin noted how Campbell had spent his time in the dock “hanging his head in shame”, Judge Francis Gilbert, QC added: “It’s not surprising.”
In sentencing Campbell, Judge Gilbert said he took account of Campbell’s guilty plea and his lack of any previous convictions.
As Campbell stood hunched forward and snivelling, Judge Gilbert said the man had painted “a picture of a person who was loving and kind” to others. Yet at the same time he had committed the “most dreadful abuse” on the girl for a number of years.
Judge Gilbert said he was passing 12 year sentences for the counts of rapes, six years for the indecent assaults, six years for the indecency with a child and six years for the inciting a child to commit an act of gross indecency.
The sentences were to run concurrently, amounting to a total of 12 years, minus 72 days already spent on remand.
He also ordered Campbell to be placed on the Sexual Offences Register for life.
Following the hearing, Det Con Tracey Webb, lead investigator, said: “There is no sentence long enough for what Campbell’s victim has gone through.
“What she suffered and will continue to suffer for the rest of her life is not minimised one bit by any jail term he will serve.”
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