A man who raped a girl 20 years ago has been jailed.

James McClennon, 62, of Manor Close, Wittering was found guilty of two counts of raping a child under 13 and three counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14 at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (15 May).

Today, (16 May) Judge Lowe sentenced him to 17 years in prison as well as a further year on licence.

The court heard how it took McClennon’s victim years to build up the courage to report the incidents to police after he convinced her that no one would believe her and told her it was ‘their secret’.

The abuse began in 1997 in Peterborough and continued for about two years while the victim was aged between 10 and 12. On two occasions McClennon used sleeping pills to drug his victim before abusing her.

Detective Constable Lisa Winterburn said: “The victim was very brave in coming forward to the police. Regardless of the passage of time, we will always take reports of child sex abuse very seriously.”

For information and advice, including how to report recent and historical sexual abuse, visit www.cambs.police.uk/childprotection. If you are worried about a child, call us on 101, or if you think a child is at immediate risk of abuse call 999.