Haji Kaloga jailed for raping girl, 11, who leapt out of window to escape

Haji Kaloga forced his way into the child’s bedroom, seized her by the throat and pushed her to the floor while she cried and begged him to stop.

Kaloga, 31, took off her trousers while she struggled, bit his hand and kicked him, Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday.

He pulled her hair and banged her on the ground before raping her in a prolonged sexual attack at a house in Bradford.

“He made her promise not to tell anyone and if she did, he would kill her,” prosecutor Christine Egerton said.

The girl jumped out of a first-floor window after the attack and called the police.

She was at first too afraid to get into the patrol vehicle but when she arrived at the police station, she told officers what Kaloga had done to her.

She had been injured in the violent assault and Kaloga’s DNA linked him to the rape.

He was arrested and interviewed and denied it.

On the day of his trial, he pleaded guilty to rape of a child under 13 and assault by penetration on March 11.

The girl read out her victim personal statement in court. Addressing Kaloga, who sat in the dock with his head in his hands, she said: “I want you to know that what you have done to me, or ever said to me, is something I won’t ever forget until the day I die.

“I want you to know this because you sexually abused me. Even though I won’t ever forget what you did, I won’t let it change my future, or change who or what I want to be.

“Sooner or later, one day, you will hear that I have become something that you can never imagine. I hope that I never ever meet a man like you again.”

Kaloga’s barrister, Kitty Colley, said the girl’s statement had been read to him and he fully accepted the effect of his offending on her and he expressed his deep sorrow and remorse.

He was a hard-working man with no previous convictions and he was likely to be deported to his native Gambia after serving his sentence.

Recorder Andrew Haslam QC said the girl was frightened and alone when she rang the police from a Bradford street.

Kaloga had put his hands round her neck and said: “Who’s the man?” before dragging her into a room and raping her. He had subjected her to a prolonged sexual violation, threatening to kill her if she told anyone.

“One is struck by her strength of character after her terrible ordeal. She is a truly remarkable young girl,” Recorder Haslam said.

He told Kaloga: “This was a quite horrifying sexual assault.”

As an offender of particular concern, he would not be released until the Parole Board deemed it safe to do so.

After the case, an NSPCC spokesperson said: “It can take years to recover from the trauma inflicted by child sexual abuse, so it is vital that Kaloga’s victim receives all the support she needs to help her come to terms with what has happened.

“Survivors of abuse should know that they will be listened to if they speak out, no matter how long ago it may have happened.”

Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 while children and young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.