Man jailed for rape of girl, 6, in train toilets

A man described as a "significant risk to children" has been jailed for 18 years for raping a six-year-old girl in train toilets.

Daniel Russell, 38, was convicted of two counts of raping a child, causing her to watch a sexual act and of making indecent images of children.

Russell, of Tolhouse Street, Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, had told his victim he would kill the foals of a horse she liked if she did not do what he asked, the court heard.

Judge David Pugh said the effect on the victim and her mother was "profound".

Norwich Crown Court heard how on train journeys between 2016 and 2021, Russell would take the victim into a toilet cubicle and show her pornography before assaulting her.

The judge told Russell: "You found a lever [to] satisfy your sexual urges."

"She lives with the harm you caused her," he said, adding that Russell posed a "significant risk to children in the future".

Reading from a victim statement made by the mother, the prosecution barrister Stephen Spence told the court the sex offences had had a "huge emotional impact on her daughter".

Mr Spence said the mother was worried her child would grow up thinking "this is normal".

"The real long-term impact is unknown," he said.

Russell appeared via video link wearing a grey jumper and only spoke to confirm name.

His defence barrister Andrew Oliver read a statement saying that after Russell was found guilty by the jury during his eight-day trial, he "has confessed to the offences".

He added that he "knows he has caused harm" and "has expressed remorse".

Russell must serve a minimum of two-thirds of the jail sentence before being considered for parole, and would be on licence for a further six years if released.

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