Raped and sexually assaulted a child.

Christchurch Man Jailed for Child Rape and Sexual Assault

A 22-year-old Christchurch man, Darren Marsh, has been sentenced to five years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13.

The offenses occurred in New Milton last April. Marsh pleaded guilty to rape and two counts of sexual assault at Southampton Crown Court on Friday.

Upon his release, Marsh will be subject to a 12-month extended period on licence and a sexual harm prevention order. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life and is banned from contacting the victim.

Detective Constable Dawn Capper, of the child abuse investigation team, expressed her relief for the victim and their family, stating, "I am so pleased for the young victim that justice has now been served for them and their family, and that Marsh has now been placed behind bars, where he belongs."

Capper acknowledged the lasting impact of the crimes but expressed hope for the victim's future, saying, "While I know this result won't rid them of the memories of what Marsh did, I truly hope it allows them to move forward with their life, safe in the knowledge that he can no longer harm any other children."

She also emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents, stating, "I also hope this sentence will reassure other victims that they will be listened to when reporting similar incidents. We encourage other victims to come forward and speak to us. We take allegations of this nature extremely seriously and work hard to bring offenders to justice."

Capper concluded with a strong message to potential offenders, saying, "This should also be a very clear message to other offenders out there that we will always work tirelessly to ensure you are brought to justice. I would also like to thank everyone else who assisted in getting this conviction."