A PAEDOPHILE locked a 14-year-old girl in his car before raping her on the back seat.

Jordan Moore targeted a 14-year-old girl using social media before raping her in the car park of New Milton Cricket Club.

The victim described the event on September 18, 2018, in Fernhill Lane as the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

Moore, who was 21-year-old at the time of the offence had used Snapchat to contact the girl from the New Forest area who cannot be named for legal reasons.

He then drove across the country from his home in Station Road, Croydon to meet his victim who was accompanied by a friend.

The officer in the case, Detective Sergeant, Claire Ratcliffe told the Daily Echo how at first the girls thought Moore, 24, was “kind and funny”.

However, at some point his victim “ended up on her own” and he sexually assaulted her.

The girls reported the rape which he denied to the police straight away.

On Tuesday, a jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict and convicted Moore on one count of rape following a seven day trial at Southampton Crown Court.

Prosecution barrister, Tim Moores, read out a victim impact statement which said how the girl's life had been ruined and how the event will be with her forever.

Extracts from the statement said: "During the time he had locked me in the back of the car I was terrified he was going to kill me."

"I have to live the rest of my life knowing what he did to me. I will never escape it."

She has suffered sleepless nights and has cried herself to sleep, the court heard.

Defending, Len Furlong, argued Moore has no relevant previous convictions.

He added that the fact the case had taken since 2018 to be dealt with was also a mitigating factor.

During sentencing, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “She repeatedly said stop and you did not do so.”

Moore wept as he was jailed for six years and six months.

He will have to register as a sex offender for life.

DS Claire Ratcliffe said: “I am absolutely delighted with the result.

"I just can’t commend the victim enough for the strength she has shown over the last two years.

"I hope that it can be of some closure for her."