A 13-YEAR-old girl who gave birth to her rapist stepfather’s baby has spoken out after he was jailed for eight years.

The man – who is 40 years older than the girl – fathered her daughter after meeting her mother online and moving into the family home.

He was told by a judge at Bournemouth Crown Court that he had committed a ‘gross abuse of trust’, grooming the girl with gifts and trips to theme parks before raping her.

But despite her ordeal, the brave youngster, who cannot be named, told the Daily Echo: “I am not a victim – I am a survivor”.

The paedophile was snared after suspicious authorities demanded a DNA test for the baby girl.

Speaking out, the teenager and her mother said they were ‘taken in’ by the defendant, who ‘groomed the whole family’.

“He has taken away my daughter’s childhood,” the girl’s mother said.

“But we’re going to be stronger as a family because of what he’s done to us.”

The defendant met the youngster when she was 10 years old after meeting her mother through an online virtual reality game, and quickly moved into her Bournemouth home.

She said: “He seemed like such a good person.

“He would take us all on days out and buy my children presents.

“We got married in 2012 and just two months later he started to get very, very cuddly with my daughter.”

She raised her concerns with her husband, but said: “He told me I was being jealous.

“He said she needed lots of love and hugs. It started to drive a wedge between me and my daughter.”

Eventually, she became so concerned that she called social services, but claimed she was told that she was ‘being paranoid’.

The girl then fell pregnant, and after giving birth, consented to a DNA test for the child, who is being cared for by the teenager and her loving family.

The results revealed that her stepfather had made her pregnant, and he was arrested and charged.

The teenager’s mother said: “The baby is a light in our lives – we all adore her and we all love to help take care of her.

“She keeps us all strong.”

“We are survivors,” said the girl.

"I’m not his victim. I’m glad he’s in prison now.”

 

‘The effect of what he has done is incalculable’

Prosecutor Sadie Rizzo told the court the abuse took place on dates between September and December 2012, and said before that, the defendant was cautioned by police for child abduction.

During the incident, he had taken the teenager with him to Kent without telling her mother where she was.

When arrested, the defendant told police he had ‘kissed and cuddled’ the girl, and wouldn’t comment on whether he’d had sex with her.

However, the prosecutor said: “He said that (if he had) it would have been consensual.”

A statement written by the teenage victim was read aloud.

She said she ‘hates’ the defendant and has had ‘nightmares’ since the abuse began.

She added: “I’m scared he could take my baby away from me.

“I feel that he has stolen my childhood, which I will never get back.”

Mitigating, Mark Ruffell said his client admitted a single charge of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 before a judge at the first opportunity.

“To some extent, the effect of what he’s done is almost incalculable,” he said.

“It will last for a lifetime – for several people’s lifetimes perhaps.”

As the girl wept, Judge John Harrow said: “It seems she was under the influence of drink – you took advantage of that.”

He added: “She said you were like a dad to her. You in effect became her father for the three years when you lived with and married her mother.”