Derbyshire Man Jailed for Seven-and-a-Half Years for Raping Child

A Derbyshire man has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for raping a child. Alan Lamb, 33, was found guilty of one count of rape of a child and two counts of sexual assault at a trial last month.

The court heard how Lamb isolated his young victim from her family and sexually abused her. He took her to his home and had full sex with her on multiple occasions. Lamb also forced the victim to carry out other depraved acts on him.

The victim, who was a teenager at the time of the abuse, was forced to relive her ordeal during the trial as Lamb denied the charges. She described how her teenage years were characterized by self-harm and a suicide attempt as a result of the abuse. It was only years later that she was able to find the courage to report the abuse.

Sentencing Lamb, Recorder Adrian Reynolds said: "It is deadly serious the rape of a child of this age. It had led to substantial psychological harm (on her), you took a young child from the safety of her family and did what you did to her. Her teenage years, which should have been the happiest of her life, you grossly disfigured by what you did to her. Her teenage years were characterized by self-harm and a suicide attempt. The idea that this was someone making a false complaint, as you did at trial, is ridiculous."

Lamb's barrister, William Bennett, said: "He knows it is going to be an extremely long sentence he is going to receive. He knows if it is longer than seven years then he will have to serve two-thirds of it in custody. He has never been to prison before and it will come as a massive shock. His family are worried whether he will be able to cope with custody. His life is on tatters, he has children of is own and his relationship with his partner and children has been effectively wrecked."

As a result of his conviction, Lamb, of Valley Road, Shirebrook, will be on the sex offender register for life.