A 69-year-old man has been jailed for 22 years after being found guilty of the historic abuse and rape of a young girl.
Garry Rigley, formerly of The Glebe in Cossall, Nottingham appeared at Nottingham Crown Court today (Wednesday June 14).
The six-day trial finished on Monday (June 11) with the jury finding him guilty of five of nine counts against him.
Rigley was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age 14 and three counts of rape of a girl under the age of 16.
He was found not guilty of four counts of indecent assault but has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
The victim, who has lifetime anonymity, said: “Even after all these years, the impact of the abuse still affects me.
“I know this will live with me forever but I hope I can move forward in life and not allow the abuse to always be at the forefront of my mind.
“I want to thank the officers that have supported me throughout the investigation.
“As heart-breaking as this has been, it has made me realise that going forward I want to help others in similar situations to me.
“It took me a long time to come forward, but I would urge others to do the same and to trust the police because they will do everything that they can to try and get justice for you.”
The court was told how the abuse happened throughout the 70s and 80s.
Detective Constable Helen Guttridge said: “I cannot commend the victim’s bravery and strength enough throughout what has been a very traumatic experience.
“This has been a very long path for the victim, taking her years before she felt she could contact the police and I am so glad she has been given the outcome she deserves.
“She has remained dignified throughout and I hope in time, she can find peace.
“I also hope this result will encourage other victims of historic abuse to come forward and report it to us.
“No matter when it happened, we will always take you seriously and investigate fully.”
