Man who repeatedly raped girl in Wakefield when he was a boy is jailed

David Beaumont, 30, raped the girl on a number of occasions when he was aged between 11 and around 16, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Beaumont, of Beeston, committed the offences in Wakefield area when his victim was aged under the age of 11.

The court heard the offences only came to light in recent years when the rape victim underwent counselling.

Beaumont denied ten charges of rape but was convicted by a Leeds Crown Court jury after a trial.

He was also found guilty of one charge of indecent assault against the same girl and one charge of indecent assault against another young girl when he was aged under 16.

Christopher Moran, mitigating, said Beaumont had endured physical abuse as a child.

Mr Moran said the offences happened when Beaumont was a youth and said he is now a devoted father to three children.

Judge Robin Mairs told Beaumont: "I remember well the evidence that (the rape victim) gave. The impact on her cannot be underestimated.

"Emotionally this has plagued her since her childhood. It lay dormant in terms of action by the authorities. It never lay dormant for her."

Judge Mairs added: "You were clearly by the time you came into contact with the two girls a very damaged child yourself.

"You had not been the author of your own misfortune. You had witnessed and had suffered physical abuse and the impact on you as a child must be noted.

"The effect on the two victims is profound, deep and potentially lifelong."

Jailing Beaumont for six years, Judge Mairs told him: "I'm not dealing with you as a 16 or 17-year-old, I'm dealing with you as a 30-year-old man.

"In your case I'm satisfied that this type of offending stopped when you were 15 or 16.

"In the years that have passed since then you have had a family of your own. There has been no extended pattern of offending."