MAN RAPED SCHOOLGIRL TWICE WITH THE HELP OF HIS GIRLFRIEND
Stephen Arnopp, aged 34, communicated via messages with his girlfriend, Gemma Hill, in which they discussed the possibility of raping a girl.Additionally, authorities discovered that they had conspired to carry out a rape on a nine-year-old girl.
Arnopp received an 11-year prison sentence after admitting to abusing and raping a girl under the age of 13 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
Authorities also found the victim’s underwear at his residence.
Hill, from Hatfield, was sentenced to six years imprisonment after she advised the girl not to report the assaults to police, leading to her conviction.
The young girl informed teachers and law enforcement officers about the abuse.
Judge Marie Catterson noted that Hill had an 'extremely low' IQ and stated that the girl has likely suffered long-term harm that could be 'difficult and profound.' Both defendants pleaded guilty to all charges.
In her sentencing remarks, Judge Catterson described Hill’s behavior as evasive, claiming she pretended to be unaware.
She emphasised that Arnopp’s crimes involved 'sustained and significant planning' and expressed relief that the pair were arrested before attempting to abuse a second girl.
An order for Sexual Harm Prevention was issued, prohibiting both from contacting the victims or having unsupervised contact with girls under 18, as well as from living in the same house.
Arnopp was sentenced to two concurrent 40-month terms for conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13, with an additional eight years for two counts of raping a child under 13, to be served consecutively.
He also received four months concurrent time for inciting sexual activity and eight months concurrent for sexual activity involving a minor.
Hill was given two concurrent sentences of four and a half years each for conspiracy to commit sexual acts with a child under 13, plus an 18-month consecutive sentence for cruelty to a person under 16.
