A SEX beast who repeatedly abused and then raped his own child, has been jailed for 11 years after being told by a Crown Court judge: "These are as serious as offences could be, for a father on his daughter".

Anthony Allen, 67, of Nicholson Square, Dukinfield, committed the 'odious and revolting' attacks more than 30 years ago when his daughter was aged between six and 13.

Now a 44-year old married mum, Candice Dinsdale who has waived her right to anonymity, said in a statement to police: "He ruined my life. He has stolen my childhood."

Mrs Dinsdale struggled to contain her emotions in court as details of Allen's offences were described and sobbed openly when sentence was passed.

But speaking outside she said: "Eleven years isn't enough. He should have got life. He took mine. This is the best Christmas present I have had in 30 years. He's an animal and he should have been castrated."

Minshull Street Crown Court was told that Allen, while making no attempt to excuse what he had done, hoped that 'somehow, someday' his daughter could find it in her heart to forgive him for his 'terrible wrongs.'

But she said: "Never. I can never, ever forgive him, and he deserves everything he has got."

She said she had only been able to speak out openly about what her father had done, after her mother Patricia died 18 months ago.

She said "I have waited a long time for this day. The abuse stopped a long time ago, but the ghosts of my childhood have haunted me.

"I was betrayed by the one person I should have trusted the most. I kept putting off telling anybody about what happened, because I was afraid that nobody would believe me.

"But in the end I felt that the only way I could really move on, was to face up to this, and ensure that the person who caused all of my pain would pay."

Alaric Bassano prosecuting, told the court that the offences took place between 1970 and 1978 when Candice was aged between six and 13, and Allen aged between 29 and 37.

Threats

He said not only did Allen breach the trust placed in him as a father, but he secured his daughter's silence by threats and presents of money; there was an element of grooming, and his actions had a profound effect on her, which were still being felt to this day.

He said many of the offences were carried out while Candice's mother and brother were out of the house in Frederick Street, Denton, or at night while they were asleep.

He said they began with indecent assaults, but gradually escalated into much more serious offences, then into full rape. Allen told her 'It's our secret' and ordered her to say nothing.

He first attempted to rape her when she was just 10 years old, then when he was unsuccessful, told her she was 'a waste of time' and verbally abused her.

The first time he raped her, she 'squealed' with pain, and he quickly covered her mouth with his hand to silence her.

Before leaving her bedroom he left cash on her dressing table - an act he was often to repeat in the months to follow.

The court was told that he wore a condom initially, but then suggested to his wife that their daughter went on the pill.

Mr Bassano said the attacks only stopped after Candice's mother became aware of what he was doing, and did her best to protect her.

He said the way Candice had been treated had a profound affect on her, and when still a young child, she had to be placed in the care of the local authority after running away from home.

"On being returned to her parents, Allen threatened to kill her if she told social workers what had been happening" he said.

She had suffered from depression, found it difficult to form relationships with other men, and was still receiving counselling to help her deal with what had happened.

Mr Richard Vardon defending, said that Allen had not wanted him to say anything to mitigate what he had done, but he said: "The knock on the door by police had been long awaited. He had led his life since the offences with the spectre of this day hanging over him."

Allen, who remarried about 20 years ago, pleaded guilty to offences of indecent assault, attempted rape and rape.

Judge Geake, jailing him, said: "You were Candice's father, yet you sexually abused her persistently throughout her childhood from the age of six to 13.

"It is now some thirty years since these offences were committed, but that diminishes them very little. She has had to live with those awful memories from that day onward."

Cocktail of drugs 

Allen had to be brought to court for his sentencing by police officers, after claiming to have taken a cocktail of drugs on the morning he should have been appearing before the judge.

He was told: "These are crimes that inevitably would mean a day of reckoning. You sought to avoid the inevitable it seems, but it has finally come."

In addition to his jail sentence, Allen was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life, and has also been banned from ever working with children on his release from prison.

Det Con Kath Mc|Kenzie, who first interviewed Allen in May l said after the hearing: "Speaking up was a very brave thing for Candice to do.

"The fact that it took her so long to report this proves the strength of the spell that this repulsive, abusive bully had on her."

She said: "The result highlights the importance of coming forward to police to report incidents of sexual abuse, no matter how long ago they may have taken place."
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