Man, 65, is jailed for rape 20 years ago

From the archive, first published Saturday 9th Dec 2006.

A 65-year-old man who raped and sexually abused a girl more than two decades ago was today beginning a seven-year prison sentence.

A jury at Bradford Crown Court yesterday found John Wheeler guilty on a series of sex charges most of which dated back to the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Wheeler, of Bolton Hall Road, Bolton, Bradford, had denied eight allegations of indecent assault, one of rape, two of indecency with a child and one of sexual assault by touching, but after a three-day trial the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all charges.

The jury was told that Wheeler started sexually abusing the girl in the late 1970s and on one occasion he raped her.

The abuse stopped when the girl was 14, but the incidents were only reported to the police after Wheeler touched the now adult woman's breast during an incident last year.

The complainant's identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons, but sentencing Wheeler Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC praised the victim for her courage and bravery in giving evidence which he described as "compelling and moving''.

He said the verdicts should be a message to other women that they should come forward and have nothing to fear.

"There are brilliant officers just waiting to help,'' he added.

Judge Durham Hall described Wheeler's abuse as "heinous'' and he said the effect on the victim had been enormous and incalculable.

The judge told Wheeler that after release from his prison sentence he would have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life.