AN AMESBURY man has been sentenced to 18 years in jail after he was found guilty of committing multiple child sex offences – including rape.

Gabriel Philip Chirwa was jailed after the victim bravely reported the abuse – which took place over a two-year period – to her mother.

The 38-year-old of Holders Road was sentenced today (April 4) to 18 years imprisonment, plus four years on extended licence, for four counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault by penetration and one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity – all against a child under 13.

Chirwa will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) indefinitely, which will forbid him from any contact with the victim and from having any unsupervised contact with any person under the age of 16.

He initially denied the offences but was subsequently found guilty at trial by a jury at Winchester Crown Court in December last year.

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Wiltshire Police have released a personal statement from the victim.

It reads: “He had made me completely disgusted with myself, I was so young. I ask myself why me?

“Now, I’m not doing as bad, but my life is still a massive mess three years later.

“You [Chirwa] never cared. I hope you will care when I am free to live the life that you can’t.”

Speaking after the sentencing, DC Fiona Rawlings of the Child Abuse Investigation Team said: “Firstly, I want to pay tribute to the victim for her courage and bravery that she has shown.

“It must have been extremely difficult for her to report the abuse in the first place, and she has shown incredible bravery throughout the process, which has taken more than two years.

“I appreciate the toll that the abuse and the subsequent police investigation and court process has had on her and her mental health and I recognise that impact of it will take a long time to heal.

“Hopefully today’s sentencing can bring an element of closure and she can look to move forward.

“Without her continued assistance, today’s outcome would not have been possible.

“I’d also like to thank the victim’s mother for her support throughout the process.

“Chirwa is an incredibly dangerous offender who has shown absolutely no remorse despite the horrendous abuse he inflicted on a young girl.

“His continuous denial of the offences forced the victim to relive the experiences through a trial, requiring her statement to be played to the court, adding to the trauma he had already inflicted.

“I’m pleased he will now spend a substantial amount of time behind bars.”

Anyone who has been sexually abused is asked to report it to police on 999 or through the Wiltshire Police website.

Details of support agencies can be found by clicking here.

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