Crook man jailed for 24 years for child sex abuse

Allen March was sentenced to the offences at Durham Crown Court

A man who sexually abused a girl for several years has been jailed for 24 years.

Allen March, from Crook, County Durham, groomed his victim when she was 11 before subjecting her to multiple assaults and rapes.

The 58-year-old denied 18 counts of sexual abuse, but a jury convicted him of all offences earlier this year.

At Durham Crown Court, he was also given an order preventing him from contacting under-18s for 30 years.

The court heard how former taxi driver March sent messages to the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, before ramping up his campaign of abuse.

Durham Police said over several years he began touching her sexually before raping her.

It was not until the girl, who initially feared she may not be believed, reported it to the police that March was investigated.

A trial heard how March had also sent an explicit picture and sexual messages to two other teenage girls.

'Felt really alone'

In a statement from the victim, she said she thought "nobody would believe me when I spoke up".

"At the time it felt awful feeling like I had to be silent," she said.

"I felt really alone."

She said the "trauma will always be with me", adding she could not "see how I could ever forget what has happened".

March was found guilty of three counts of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching, five counts of assaulting a girl under 13, four counts of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, four counts of sexual assault and four counts of rapes.

After sentencing Durham Police praised the victim's courage for coming forward.

Det Con Helen Towns said: "The complainant in this case was always worried she would not be heard as, by her own admission, she had a history of struggling with her behaviour and mental health.

"The justice system is getting better at recognising that often it is these vulnerabilities that sadly causes offenders to think they will not be reported or held accountable, and offenders will use this to try to discredit their victims."