A man who raped a six-year-old girl when he was a teenager has been jailed eighteen years later.
Today Bradley Holloway, of Rupert Square, Reading, has been sent to prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape he committed when he was between the ages of 13 to 15.
The now 32-year-old was found guilty following a trial in December and was sentenced this afternoon at Reading Crown Court.
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The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told Reading Crown Court she has been left with post-traumatic stress disorder and had to sleep with the light on after her life was turned upside down by Holloway's abuse.
The Reading man committed sexual offences ‘every Sunday’ and would 'offer to buy her toys' if she didn't tell anyone.
Prosecuting, Patrick Duffy told the court: “[The victim said] he was always very weird with her, always wanting to pick her up, hold her hand and get her to sit on his lap. He would find ways of taking her upstairs to the bedroom.
“He would then put a condom on himself. She told him several times ‘no’ but he carried on.
“He would offer to buy her toys if she didn’t tell anyone what happened.”
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In a victim statement read out by Mr Duffy, the woman said she suffers from PTSD after the incidents.
It read: “Bradley Holloway is a creep who preys on vulnerable young children, his actions are despicable.
“When I’m out and about I feel scared, anxious and worried. I have flashbacks of Bradley kissing and raping me, my body feels like it’s curling up in a ball to protect myself from the harm he caused.
“I sleep with a light on to help me overcome my fears in the night and I recently started therapy to help me.
“I will never forget or recover from what Bradley has done to me. I feel relieved that the truth is finally out and I was believed by a court of law.”
Defending Holloway, Sharmila Salvi addressed the defendant’s age at the time of offending, stating he would have lacked maturity.
Judge Hassan Khan sentenced Holloway to six years' imprisonment for one count of rape and another six years to run concurrently for the second count.
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He will serve at least half of the sentence before being released on licence. A sexual harm prevention order has also been made.
The court heard that Holloway is in the early stages of launching an appeal against his conviction.
- For support on the topics raised in this article, visit this NHS webpage for advice and agencies who can help.
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