A CHILD rapist has been jailed for 18 years at Bradford Crown Court in one of the country’s oldest historic sex abuse cases dating back six decades.

Geoffrey Parker, 78, will be at least 87 when he is freed from prison after he was convicted by a jury 60 years after violating his first victim, who is now 70 years old.

The pensioner earlier pleaded guilty to twice raping a girl under 16 in the 1980s and to three charges of indecency with a child and three of indecent assault.

On Wednesday afternoon, he was found guilty in just ten minutes of a single count of raping a young girl aged ten or 11, between 1959 and 1960.

Parker, then living in the Bradford area but now with an address in High Street, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was told by Judge David Hatton QC his abuse was “a grotesque violation”.

“You will not automatically be released at nine years, you will serve at least that amount of time and then be on licence for the balance of the sentence,” the judge said.

Parker’s case is one of the country’s oldest cases of historic sexual abuse to go to trial.

He was locked up for a total of eight years for raping and assaulting the younger woman and for ten years, to run consecutively, for the offence of rape he was convicted of this week.

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Judge Hatton said he had to have regard for the “principle of totality” when passing sentence overall.

“I have reduced the sentence that otherwise have been appropriate had each (offence) stood in isolation and adjusted the sentence so as to have regard to your age of 78 years,” he said.

Speaking about one of the victims, Judge Hatton told Parker: “This was a grotesque violation, the consequences of which have been severe for her and will no doubt continue to be immeasurable.

“This was a child who was particularly vulnerable due not only to her tender age but the environment in which she lived. She had no means of dealing with the situation, nowhere to turn, and you were an adult.”

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Weekes, Safeguarding lead at Bradford District, said: “We would like to thank the victim for reporting Parker’s abuse and hope the sentence he has received will give her some closure after so many years.

“This outcome demonstrates that justice has no time limit and we will pursue offenders regardless of how historic the offence might be.

“We also hope it will encourage other victims to come forward and engage with the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit, who will investigate every report sensitively and thoroughly to bring perpetrators to justice.”

After the case, an NSPCC spokesperson said: “We hope that Parker’s sentencing brings some comfort for his victims and sends a strong message to anyone who has suffered child abuse that no matter how much time has passed and no matter who the perpetrator is, they will be listened to.

“Sexual abuse can have a devastating impact lasting into adulthood, so it is vital that young people have the confidence to speak out. The NSPCC is visiting primary schools across Bradford with its ‘Speak Out Stay Safe’ service, empowering children to protect themselves from abuse and highlighting how to speak out if they ever experience it.”

For help and support children can contact ChildLine 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 1111 or by visiting childline.org.uk.

Adults with concerns about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline in confidence on 0800 808 5000 or via help@nspcc.org.uk.

The Telegraph & Argus has requested a picture of Parker from West Yorkshire Police.