Judge rules girl was sexually abused by uncle – months after prosecution halted

A senior family court judge has concluded that a girl was “brutally” sexually assaulted by an uncle for the best part of a decade – nine months after a prosecution was halted.

Police had investigated after the girl, now 14, told a teacher that she had been sexually abused and raped by her uncle over a period of about nine years.

Prosecutors had decided not to pursue a case against the man, who is now in his mid-twenties and married with a baby daughter, in February when the girl said she did not want to give evidence at a criminal trial.

Social workers then had to decide whether the man’s baby daughter might be at risk in the wake of his niece’s complaints.

They asked a family court judge to make findings about the girl’s allegations on a civil court balance of probabilities basis.

Mr Justice Hayden has concluded that the girl was telling the truth after staging a fact-finding trial at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in Leeds earlier this month.

The judge says the man poses a “very significant threat” and should have no access to children “without vigilant adult supervision”.

Detail of the case has emerged in a ruling published by Mr Justice Hayden on a legal website.

The judge said the girl could not be identified.

He said social services bosses at Leeds City Council were responsible for the welfare of the man’s baby daughter and had begun family court proceedings.

Mr Justice Hayden said he had analysed evidence from the teenager and her uncle – who had disputed the allegations.

“I find (her) allegations to be entirely reliable,” said the judge.

“By contrast, I found (her uncle) to be entirely unconvincing.”

He added: “I find (the man) brutally abused his niece over a period of approximately nine years, repeatedly raping her.”

The judge said the man had “shown neither empathy nor remorse” and went on: “He remains a very significant threat to the sexual and emotional security of children of either gender.

“He should have no access to children in any circumstances without vigilant adult supervision.”

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