A depraved elderly paedophile, Roger Stapleton (75), was sentenced for a horrific campaign of sexual abuse against a young girl.

Stapleton, from Llantrisant, Wales, repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted the victim, who was of primary school age when the abuse began. The abuse included incidents where he filmed the acts and even assaulted her while she was holding a baby.

The court heard that Stapleton had groomed the victim by giving her money and alcohol, telling her the abuse was "normal" and warning her not to tell anyone. The victim's suffering was severe, leading her to contemplate suicide and self-harm.

The crimes came to light after a family member discovered Stapleton following a Facebook page with images of half-dressed teenagers. This prompted the victim to report the abuse to the police in 2023.

The prosecution outlined the graphic details of the abuse, including a 10-minute rape that left the victim bleeding. Stapleton, despite the horrific nature of his actions, acted as if nothing had happened.

Police seized multiple cameras and memory cards containing videos of Stapleton's crimes. The defendant was also found to have searched for "teen porn" and a phone message tracker app, indicating a deliberate effort to conceal his actions.

Stapleton pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, one count of assaulting a child by penetration, six counts of sexual assault, and three counts of making indecent images.

The victim, in a powerful statement read to the court, described the devastating impact of the abuse on her mental health. She spoke of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and feelings of worthlessness.

"He ruined my life and because of it I didn't get to enjoy my childhood and teenage years as much as I should have," she said. "I should have been out with my friends all the time actually enjoying my but I spent my time crying and self-harming in my room wondering what I had done to deserve this... He ruined my childhood but I won't let him ruin my future."