Rapist who 'robbed teen of childhood' jailed

Shaun Fuller "forced his victim to go through the ordeal of a trial despite knowing exactly what he had done to her", said Det Con Sarah Holmes

A "purely wicked" child rapist who "robbed his victim of her childhood due to his sordid sexual interests" has been jailed.

Shaun Fuller, 40, from Nelson, Lancashire, raped his 15-year-old victim three times in Burnley in 2021.

Fuller's victim described how the attacks have had a massive impact on her life - affecting her education, relationships and mental health.

Fuller, who pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and and sexual assault on a female, was jailed at Preston Crown Court for 15 years.

The victim told her mother about the attacks in March 2023 and Fuller was arrested then subsequently charged after she reported it to police.

In an impact statement to the court, the victim, said: "This all had a massive impact on my education, I often struggled to focus/concentrate at school.

"I didn't get the results I wanted at school and my school work was affected."

She also said she struggled to maintain friendships "due to what Shaun did to me".

"All my friends at school used to talk about their relationships and boyfriends. I struggled to talk about anything like this because of what happened to me."

"I now struggle to trust anyone, especially males.

"I find it hard to engage in sexual relationships due to the flashbacks I get with Shaun."

She continued: "My mental health has been impacted massively. I have since received therapy from a free service which made it even worse by bringing up everything that happened to me.

"I struggle to open up and talk about it. I try to block everything out, that's how I deal with it."

She said when police got involved "I struggled even more - I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, I never used to leave my room".

"I used to sit and rock in my room and bang my head on the wall to try and numb the pain.

"I now don't go out and don't like opening up about what happened to me."

She added: "I want Shaun to know the impact all of this has had on me, and how it will continue to impact me for the rest of my life."

'Despicable nature'

Det Con Sarah Holmes welcomed the sentence.

"Fuller is a purely wicked individual who robbed the victim of her childhood due to his sordid sexual interests," she said.

"His offending continues to have a profound impact on her life."

She added: "While she showed immense courage and bravery in coming forward, Fuller showed his despicable nature by forcing his victim to go through the ordeal of a trial – despite knowing exactly what he had done to her."

Fuller was also made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.