A man who raped and sexually abused a child has been jailed for 18 years.

Martyn Garland carried out a catalogue of horrific abuse against the girl who hadn't even reached her teens. His crimes came to light when she reported the matter to police years later.

In a victim impact statement, she said: "I have spent many years crying for the little girl that got trapped inside of me after he destroyed my innocence and my childhood. The trauma has hung over me like a shadow that has crept into every part of my existence leaving me feeling like a lost cause, like I've been damaged beyond repair. I haven't been able to put my trust into anybody for almost 20 years and I don't believe that there is anybody that I will ever fully trust. There have been times where I have felt suicidal because the pain has been too much where I have turned to alcohol to stop me from feeling for a moment. But I know that deep down I don't want to die. I have too much to live for. I just so desperately want, need, the pain to stop. I am trying so hard to be stronger. This has honestly impacted everything that I do. Each day I wake up and I have to force myself to get out of bed when all I want to do is just lay there. I live it every day. It's because I don't feel like any of these words are enough. They don't truly convey exactly how much he's destroyed and how much of my life he's truly taken away. I know I would be an entirely different person and had an entirely different life had this not happened and that is a difficult thing to comprehend."

Garland, 50, of Mercaston Close, Holme Hall, Chesterfield, was arrested and subsequently charged with a number of offences including rape, sexual assault, cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and assault by penetration. He denied the offences, forcing the woman to go through a trial but a jury saw through his lies and he was convicted after a trial at Derby Crown Court.

He appeared at the same court for sentencing on Friday 19 April where he was jailed for 18 years with an extended licence period of a year. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register.