Man jailed for more than 12 years for raping child

Dane Bartholomew was convicted of raping a young girl in Wolverhampton

A man has been jailed for more than 12 years for raping a child in Wolverhampton.

Dane Bartholomew was convicted of two counts of raping of a girl under the age of 13 and one of sexual assault on a girl under the age of 13.

Photos of some of the offences were found on the 35-year-old's phone during investigations, said police.

Bartholomew was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The victim told her family about the abuse before reporting it, said police.

DC James Cox, West Midlands Police's Child Protection Unit, said: "Throughout this process his young victim has been remarkable and truly resilient.

"This young girl had the courage to speak up to her family about what was happening and they knew that they had to come to us with that information."

Images of some offences found on his phone along with the girl’s testimony, were "so powerful" that he changed his plea to guilty on the first day of trial, the force said.

Bartholomew, who is originally from Sussex, was jailed for 12 years and four months, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 17 June.

A sexual harm prevention order was also imposed for 20 years and Bartholomew will remain on the sex offenders register for life.