Child rapist jailed for 11 years

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A child rapist who told a four-year-old girl he would kill her family if she did not perform sex acts has been jailed for 11 years.

Joseph Handley, 47, of Goldie Avenue, Dumfries, attempted to rape the child and raped another 12-year-old girl.

He had denied the offences dating back to the 1990s but was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow.

Judge Rita Rae QC said the sexual abuse of youngsters was "one of the most heinous crimes".

The court was told the older girl was raped regularly by Handley and the younger girl was forced to perform sex acts after playing Monopoly.

He also forced the youngster to watch a pornographic film.

Sentencing him, temporary judge Rita Rae QC told Handley: "The sexual abuse of defenceless young children is one of the most heinous crimes that these courts have to deal with.

You were in a position of trust and you abused that trust in the worst possible way Judge Rita Rae QC

"They are committed for selfish motives - mainly the sexual gratification of an adult - and the victims in such cases have to live with the horrors of what happened to them for the rest of their lives.

"You were in a position of trust and you abused that trust in the worst possible way."

Handley was convicted of indecent practices towards the girls - now aged 17 and 27 - on various dates between 1993 and 2000.

He was also found guilty of attempting to rape the younger girl between November 1994 and November 1995 and raping the other girl several times between March 1994 and March 1998.

The court heard that Handley started abusing the 12-year-old at an address in Blantyre in 1993.

Naked photos

He forced her to perform sex acts and subsequently began raping her on a regular basis.

Handley moved on to his next victim in 1994 when the youngster asked to watch a Disney movie and he showed her a pornographic film instead.

He then forced her to perform sex acts and tried to rape her.

He also took naked photos of the girl in the shower at an address in Dumfries.

Handley, who has previous convictions for assault, regularly threatened to kill the youngster's family if she told anyone or did not do what he asked.

The abuse only came to light when the younger girl confided in a friend who then told his father.

Handley, who denied all of the charges, shook his head as he was taken from the dock.