(Image: Durham Constabulary)
A 'monster' who led a girl to an isolated spot and raped her has been branded a 'risk to children'.
Liam Fox took the girl to an isolated railway embankment and forced himself on her.
Ashamed, she told no one at the time, Teesside Crown Court heard, but she broke down to her mother several years later and revealed what had happened.
Her allegation also led to a complaint that Fox had sexually abused a second girl on several occasions.
Fox denied the allegations, saying he had never touched either girl sexually.
The 34-year-old, of Middleton Street, Darlington, repeated his denials during his trial in August.
But the jury convicted him of rape, two counts of sexual assault and two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.
Both victims’ impact statements were read at Tuesday’s (September 29) sentencing hearing.
Liam Fox, 34, received a 17-year prison sentence for the rape of one girl and serious sexual offences against another
One victim said she had spent years waiting for justice and described herself at the time as “a weak and vulnerable child” who had since been “shut inside” herself.
She said anxiety had affected her school attendance as she wrestled with whether to tell anyone or seriously harm herself.
The victim compared it to a scar that would not heal, saying it left her ashamed, self-loathing and lacking confidence.
She described Fox as, “a monster who goes after defenceless things” and said she no longer knew whether she could trust men.
The other victim said she had lived with what happened since she was young and found it difficult to relive it during the police investigation and court case.
She said the process had forced her to discuss things she did not want to relive and that coming to court was “the hardest thing to do”.
Since it happened, she no longer wants to be hugged or receive affection.
The court heard Fox has seven convictions for 13 offences, the latest for fraud in 2019, but there are no previous sexual offences on his record.
In mitigation, Benjamin Bell said Fox’s family remained supportive despite his conviction.
Judge Richard Bennett said Fox’s actions had had “an enduring and significant impact” on his victims’ lives.
The judge noted that Fox still insisted all the allegations were false when interviewed by the Probation Service after his conviction.
He told Fox: “You clearly have no insight whatever about the effect of your offending and the impact on others.
“I’m satisfied you pose a risk to children.”
He said the defendant, as “an offender of concern”, would face an extra year of licence supervision after completing his 17-year sentence.
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Fox must serve two-thirds of his sentence in prison before the Parole Board can consider releasing him.
He will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 20 years and must remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Restraining orders ban him from contacting or approaching his victims indefinitely.