Paedophile paid £10 for kiss then raped girl, 13

Hodgson groomed the girl before raping her

A man paid a 13-year-old girl £10 for kiss then went on to rape and indecently assault her, a court was told.

Paedophile Craig Hodgson, 56, groomed his victim by plying her with alcohol before paying for the kiss, Lancashire Police said.

Hodgson, from Blackburn, committed the offences in 2002 in his home town but they were only reported to police 16 years later.

He was sentenced to nearly 10 years at Preston Crown Court and put on the sex offenders register for life.

Hodgson, of Railton Avenue, had denied rape and indecent assault but was found guilty unaminously by a jury at the court earlier this month.

Det Con Vicky Heys said: “I would like first and foremost to commend the victim in this case for having the courage to come forward and report what happened to her all those years ago and for the strength to see these proceedings through to this point – I hope that she feels some sense that justice has been done.

“Hodgson is clearly a paedophile who has an interest in young girls and who took steps to groom and then indecently assault and rape a young teenager for his own sexual gratification and regardless of the lasting damage it would cause his young victim, trauma he effectively made her relive by denying his guilt and forcing her to go through a trial.

“I welcome this conviction and the significant sentence given today and I hope that it gives others who may have suffered similar abuse the confidence to speak to us about what happened safe in the knowledge that we will investigate professionally and sensitively and without fear or favour.”