Man who raped child three times jailed for 14 years

A man who raped an underage girl three times has been jailed for 14 years.
JAILED: John BurnleyJAILED: John Burnley
JAILED: John Burnley

John Burnley, 54, had been grooming and touching the girl for a period of twelve months before the rapes took place.

It only took two hours for the jury to find Burnley, from Alexander Road, Wisbech, guilty of three charges of raping a girl under 13 and four charges of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching following a seven day re-trial at Cambridge Crown Court in October.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He also received a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order instructing him not to contact the victim and witness in the case.

The girl’s mother grew suspicious after overhearing her daughter on the phone to Burnley telling him she had ‘deleted the texts so mum doesn’t read them’. She asked her daughter what was going on and she admitted the abuse to her.

Detective Constable Dianne Booth, who investigated, said: “I want to commend the victim who had to give her evidence twice, due to the hung jury at the first trial, and was extremely brave in doing so.

“I hope the sentence will provide the victim and her family with some closure and allow them to move on with the rest of their lives.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The sexual harm prevention order means Burnley is prohibited from having any contact or communication of any kind with a female child under the age of 16 years other than:

* Such is inadvertent and not reasonably avoidable in the course of lawful daily life; or

* With the consent of the child’s parent, carer or guardian and who has knowledge of his convictions.