A RAPIST from Malmesbury who abused a 12-year-old girl was handed a 13 year sentence on Friday (25) at Salisbury Crown Court.

Jonathan Cruz admitted raping the girl on more than five occasions when she was under the age of 13, earlier this year.

The 38-year-old also accepted having sex with the girl after she turned 13 when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court last month.

Cruz, of St Aldhelms Close, Malmesbury, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and two of sexual activity with a child.

He will serve a 13 year extended sentence which will comprise of a ten year custodial sentence and three years on license.

Extended sentences are lengthier than the maximum sentence prescribed for a particular offence.
He has also been placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further notice.

During the court hearing in Swindon last month, Judge Tim Mousley QC said he needed a pre-sentence report to be prepared before he could pass sentence.

He said: “In deciding the right sentence I am going to have to consider whether in the meaning of the statute there is significant risk of him causing serious harm. It is plain to me there are several factors I have seen that set the alarm bells ringing.”