A pair of brothers who systematically raped and abused a vulnerable woman have been locked up after their sickening behaviour was exposed.

Maurice and John Ronald Edwards separately abused their victim and were branded predatory after a judge heard how their assaults had a horrific impact on the woman.

Younger brother John was the first to rape the victim, who was a child when the abuse started, and continued to sexually abuse her on a regular basis for about four years.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the-now 64-year-old was only a young man himself when the sickening abuse started.

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Elder brother Maurice started sexually abusing the same woman after he got her drunk and raped her while she was unconscious.

Judge Jonathan Carroll branded the pair manipulative as he jailed them following a two-week trial.

“The survivor of your sexual offences is the same person,” he said. “She had done nothing wrong; she was a child.

“What you set about on was a campaign of rape on a young child.

“You took your chance and you took it time and time again.

The Northern Echo: John EdwardsJohn Edwards (Image: Cleveland Police)

“The one thing that became abundantly clear was the overwhelming and catastrophic harm that the pair of you have caused to her.

“You Maurice Edwards, it was clear from your evidence that you considered yourself a bit of a lothario who could have any woman you wanted.”

The court heard how the victim was now unable to leave her own house due to the significant impact the abuse had on her and how she had tried several times to take her own life.

Maurice Edwards, 74, of Tithe Barn Road, Stockton, was found guilty of rape and indecent assault after pleading guilty to two other sexual offences on the same victim.

Robert Mochrie, mitigating on his behalf, said there must be something wrong with his client’s ‘moral compass’ and accepted that the defendant was anticipating a lengthy custodial sentence.

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John Edwards, 64, of May Street, Hartlepool, was convicted of two counts of gross indecency and two counts of rape.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating on his behalf, said his client was an adolescent when the offending started but accepted that he was a young adult by the time it ended.

Maurice Edwards was sentenced to a total of 27 years and six months for all offences while his younger brother, John, was sentenced for18 years with a one-year extended licence period.

They were both made subject of an indefinite restraining order and told to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life once they are released from custody.