Man jailed for child sex abuse

3:11pm Monday 12th May 2008

A KIDDERMINSTER man who repeatedly abused a young girl was jailed indefinitely today after a judge condemned his refusal to accept his guilt.

Duncan Reed, of Cedar Crescent, was ordered to serve a minimum of four years before being considered for parole and told to register as a sex offender for life.

He was also banned from owning a mobile phone capable of taking pictures or video footage and given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

The terms of the order ban the 41-year-old from contacting his victim and being in the company of any person under 18 while unsupervised.

At the end of a five-day trial at Lincoln Crown Court last month, Reed, formerly of Ryhall Avenue, Welton, Lincoln, was found guilty off 22 offences.

They were nine indecent assaults, eight sexual assaults, two counts of indecency with a child and three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Reed was cleared of three charges of rape and two offences of attempted rape. He admitted a single charge of making an indecent photograph.

Sentencing him today, Judge Michael Heath told him: "This poor girl has had her childhood ruined by your horrible abuse of her.

"It is outrageous that you should abuse such a young girl for so long and you still have not the guts to acknowledge what you were doing."

The trial heard how Reed targeted the youngster from when she was just nine. He was arrested after she made a complaint when she was 12.

Felicity Gerry, prosecuting, told the jury: "It went on and on and on, getting worse and worse as she grew and developed. It was horrible."

When questioned by police the girl said Reed would often ply her with her drink before abusing her, one time making her consume 12 alcopops.

Today, Robert Underwood, mitigating, said Reed maintained his innocence over the sex attacks.

Mr Underwood told the court: "He does not accept the verdicts reflect what he did. He maintains that he has been wrongly convicted."

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