A Market Harborough man has been jailed after he was found guilty of raping a young girl more than 20 years ago.
On 1 May this year, Carl Hamilton was unanimously found guilty of five counts of indecently assaulting a girl under the age of 14 and three counts of raping her following a trial at Leicester Crown Court.
In November 2019 his victim, who is now an adult, contacted police to report what had happened. She told officers from the force’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) that 39-year-old Hamilton had first raped her in 1999, when she was just three years old.
She said the offences happened in Market Harborough and that Hamilton would regularly touch her in an inappropriate manner when they were together and raped her on numerous other occasions before the abuse eventually stopped in 2002.
He was questioned by specially trained detectives but answered ‘no comment’ when he was asked about the allegations in an interview.
Today (Friday 19 July), Hamilton, of Welland Park Road in Market Harborough, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
Detective Constable Aisling McPhillips, the investigating officer, said: “When he committed these offences, Hamilton was in a position of trust – which he took full advantage of in order to fulfil his own sexual gratification.
“When the abuse started, she was just three years old. She was completely unaware what he was doing to her was completely and utterly abhorrent.
“Despite the severity of the allegations, he refused to admit his crimes, meaning the victim had to relive her ordeal again front of a jury. Thankfully they saw through his lies.
“I hope today’s outcome provides her with a degree of closure and allows her to move on with her life as best she can. I also hope this case serves as a reminder to other victims of sexual abuse that it’s never too late to report it to police.”
- There are a number of different agencies who are able to offer independent help and support to victims of sexual offences in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
- Further information on these services and details on who to contact if you have been a victim of a sexual offence can be found by visiting https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences
- https://www.leics.police.uk/news/leicestershire/news/2024/july/child-rapist-jailed-following-unanimous-conviction