February 2014

Pervert OAP who abused girl of 8 has jail term increased to 7 years

A PERVERT pensioner who abused a girl of just eight and “made her feel like a prostitute” has seen his prison term increased by appeal judges.

Rachid Menasria, 68, of High Street, Uxbridge, was jailed for four-and-a-half years in October at Isleworth Crown Court after being convicted of two counts of indecent assault and four of sexual activity with a child.

However, the attorney general Dominic Grieve referred the case to the Court of Appeal whose judges today lengthened the 68-year-old’s period of imprisonment to seven years.

Handing down the judgment, Lady Justice Rafferty, sitting with Mr Justice Collins and Judge Nicholas Hilliard, said real harm had been caused to the girl.

“She described it as blackmail, she said it made her feel like a prostitute,” the judge said.

“This sentence was unduly lenient. We agree with the attorney general.

“The overall total in this case of four-and-a-half years is quashed.

“For it, there is substituted a sentence of seven years.”

The appeal court heard the young victim told police she had been blackmailed by Menasria into keeping quiet and that he had made her feel like a prostitute.

The attacks began with him touching her private parts, but later involved him putting his fingers inside her, the court heard.

Mensaria claimed the allegations were a pack of lies and showed no remorse whatsoever when his case reached the crown court.

His victim said the attacks had robbed her of her childhood and she has been left with ongoing mental trauma as a result.

Lawyers representing Mr Grieve argued the crimes were aggravated by the vast gap in age between offender and victim, his threats and the serious psychological harm he caused.

December 2013

Man jailed for sexually abusing a young girl

A 66-year-old man who sexually abused a young girl was jailed for four-and-a-half-years on Monday.

Rachid Menasria, of Hayes, had previously been found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court of two counts of indecent assault and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

His victim told officers she had been sexually abused from the age of seven until she was 17, the last time on Christmas Day 2011.

Shortly afterwards Menasria verbally abused her. She was upset while at school and told a teacher about the sexual abuse, who then alerted police and the investigation began.

Menasria was arrested on January 19, 2012 and charged on August 30 that same year.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Andrea Lenihan, from the Child Abuse Investigation Command, said: “The victim didn’t tell anyone what was happening to her for a number of years as she believed the defendant’s behaviour was normal.

“It was only when she got upset at school that the whole story came out. Sexual abuse can never be considered ‘normal’ behaviour and I would urge anyone in a similar position to contact police in confidence so we can help.”