Pedophile who threatened to drown girl’s puppy if she told anyone about years of sexual abuse gets 24 years
A 62-year-old man, who repeatedly abused a young girl, reportedly threatened her warning that he would drown her puppy if she told anyone about the abuse.
The pedophile, identified as Kenneth Mantle, subjected the child to years of physical and emotional abuse in the '80s and '90s and used the girl's love for her puppy to maintain her silence.
The victim, who has not been identified, eventually garnered the courage to report her abuser — years after the incident — and he was finally sentenced to 24 years of imprisonment on Thursday, March 12.
Kenneth Leslie Mantle, of Willingham Street, Grimsby, was sentenced after a jury found him guilty at Grimsby Crown Court. The jury reached a verdict after a four-day trial. Mantle was convicted of five counts of rape of a girl under 16, one of assault causing actual bodily harm and one of gross indecency with a girl under 16.
Detective Constable Nick Pearce, during the sentencing, said: "Mantle is an absolutely loathsome and vile man who showed no care and little regard for the young girl, using violent and heartless threats to terrify her into not telling anyone about the horror that he was putting her through."
"His actions were absolutely incomprehensible, he inflicted untold suffering for his own perverse gratification, continuing even now by making the woman endure the harrowing ordeal of a trial," according to a Metro report.
Pearce also lauded the woman for her courage, patience, and endurance to persevere throughout the investigation and court proceeding, according to a statement from the Humberside Police.
‘However, the bravery the woman in this case has shown has been highly commendable and I want to offer my thanks for her patience and understanding throughout both the investigation process and court proceedings, as they have been long and complex processes," the detective continued.
"Mantle will be behind bars for a long time and unable to commit any further offenses, which is largely down to the woman's courage in coming forward. I would encourage anyone if you have been a victim of a sexual offense to please get in touch. We will listen and support you throughout the investigative process and do all that we can to hold those responsible to account and to bring them before the courts," he added.