A teenager has been jailed after admitting systematically sexually abusing a young girl.

Harry Stanforth repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted the child for several years starting when he was a young teenager himself.

The 19-year-old’s abuse of the young girl started with him grabbing her and touching her but soon progressed to rape, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the victim told police that the sexual abuse started when she was living in a village near Darlington.

“He would grab her, if she struggled, he would pick her up and carry her to a room where he would sexually assault,” he said.

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Mr Dodds said the defendant would punch and kick his young victim to get her to do what he wanted.

The court heard how the offending ended just before Stanforth turned 18 last year.

Stanforth, of Saltwell Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to four charges of sexual assault and two charges of rape.

George Hazel-Owram, mitigating, said his client had made full and frank admissions through his early guilty pleas to the charges.

Addressing the judge, he added: “He knows he has pleaded guilty to some really serious offences and knows you will impose a significant sentence.

“There is some genuine remorse in this case, proven by his guilty pleas.”

The court heard how Stanforth asked to be remanded in custody as soon as he pleaded guilty in court.

Judge Deborah Sherwin jailed the teenager for a total of five years and four months for all offences.

She said: “You threatened that you would hurt her if she told anyone else about this (the sexual abuse).

“You were remanded in custody at your own request as you understood the sentence that was coming your way.”

Stanforth was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life and was made subject to five-year sexual harm prevention order.

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