CHILD RAPIST TRIED TO BRIBE VICTIM WITH BAG OF SWEETS
A man forced a young girl to give him oral sex and told her he would buy her a bag of sweets in return before warning he would punch her if she told anyone.Julian Hobbs, aged 36, abused a girl under the age of 13 across a period of five years.
He made his victim put his penis in her mouth on more than one occasion and forced her to look at images of couples having sex including one of himself having sex with a woman.
He also forced the child to masturbate him.
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At a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Monday Judge Daniel Williams said Hobbs, of Brithdir Street, Cathays, Cardiff, made the victim "suck his penis" and in return "promised her a bag of sweets".
The judge also explained how Hobbs had told the young girl he would "slap or punch her" if she told anyone of the abuse.
Hobbs denied the offences but was found guilty by a jury after trial of three counts of rape of a child under the age of 13, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and causing a child under 13 to engage sexual activity.
Prosecution barrister James Wilson read a victim impact statement to the court written by the young girl’s mother.
She said: “[My daughter] has become really conscious of people seeing her body.
She doesn’t want me to see her showering or wash.
“She has turned into a really private young girl.
"We are all amazed at how brave she has been through all of this.” Defence barrister Harry Baker called on the judge to keep whatever sentence he passed “as short as possible” and said Hobbs had been “very cooperative” in custody and was “doing well as a prisoner”.
Addressing Hobbs in court Judge Williams described him as an offender who “represents a high risk”.