(Image: West Yorkshire Police)
A man has been jailed for raping a young girl.
Alan Pearce, 70, of Priestley Avenue in Heckmondwike, was sentenced to 14 years in prison with a year’s extended licence.
Found guilty after trial
The offences, which also included three counts of indecent assault, occurred in the 1980s, when the victim was around seven years old, and were reported by her in 2021.
Her report initiated an in-depth investigation by Kirklees child safeguarding detectives, resulting in Pearce being arrested in January 2023 and charged in April 2024.
He was found guilty of the offences on August 3 of this year following a trial at Leeds Crown Court.
Aside from the jail sentence, Pearce was also made subject of a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Police appeal
Safeguarding detectives have issued an appeal to potential further victims to come forward.
Reports can be made via 101, or by using www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat .
Temporary Detective Sergeant Paul Campbell, of the Child Protection Unit at Kirklees District, said: “We hope the sentence Pearce has received will be of some comfort to the victim, who has shown great courage in coming forward and reporting his crimes.
“Our investigation into his offending has suggested that there could be other victims who haven’t yet been identified.
"We would like to take this opportunity to urge them to contact us and make a report to our specially-trained officers, who can provide support throughout the justice process.”