'Child predator' jailed for 25 years

A man who subjected a child to years of sexual abuse has been jailed for 25 years.

Caetano Mauricio Vas, 54, formerly of Lady Margaret Road in Southhall, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Wednesday after a trial in March.

He was found guilty of four counts of rape of a child under 13, two counts of sexual assault by penetration, one count of inciting a girl under the age of 13 into sexual activity and one count of sexual assault.

His victim was just eight years old when the abuse began, and was left feeling suicidal as a result of its impact.

The court heard how Vas had told her he would release inappropriate pictures of her if she told anyone about his crimes, which took place in Swindon between 2014 and 2016.

The victim broke her silence about what happened to her in 2021, police said, Vas denied the offences, leading to a trial in which the victim had to recall the traumatic abuse she had suffered.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said: "It is hard to understand how one person could have such an impact.

"His actions have affected me in so many ways, which I have to cope with daily and I will probably have to cope with for the rest of my life."

Vas, she said, had "ruined" her childhood. "I will never get all those years back that I lost because of what happened," she added.

Det Con Chloe Smith, from Wiltshire Police's child abuse investigation team, commended the victim's "immense patience and courage".

"Child predators like Vas have no place in our society and we will do our utmost to deal with them robustly while supporting the victims who are left with life-long trauma as a result of their heinous actions," she said.

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