DAVID FOOT SENTENCED TO EIGHT YEARS FOR RAPE AND ABUSE IN DIDCOT

In a case that has shocked the community of Didcot, David Foot, aged 52, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term of eight years after admitting to serious sexual offenses involving a teenage girl. The crimes, which spanned several years, included multiple counts of indecent assault and a single charge of rape, all committed against a girl who was only a child at the time.

Foot, a resident of Abbot Road in Didcot, was found guilty of abusing the girl from a very young age, with the abuse continuing over a period that extended from March 18, 1986, to December 31, 1992. The court heard that the victim, whose identity remains protected, endured repeated assaults at the hands of Foot, with the most severe incident being the rape that occurred when she was just 14 years old.

During the proceedings at Oxford Crown Court, prosecutor Tony McGeorge detailed the disturbing pattern of abuse. He explained that the girl vividly remembered being assaulted by Foot while they sat together on a sofa, an act that became disturbingly routine whenever the two were alone. The court was told that these assaults, which included three counts of indecent assault and one of rape, had a profound psychological impact on the victim, leading to a significant personality change and even an attempt at suicide.

The final assault, which took place between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992, culminated in Foot raping the girl on the sofa. The court heard that after these traumatic events, the girl’s mental health deteriorated markedly, highlighting the severe and lasting effects of the abuse.

In his defense, Nicholas Syfret emphasized Foot’s remorse, stating, “Right from the outset he (Foot) appreciated the awfulness of what he had done. His remorse is very genuine.” Syfret also pointed out that there was no suggestion of undue violence during the assaults and that Foot was deeply ashamed of his actions.

Ultimately, the court sentenced David Foot to eight years in prison, reflecting the gravity of his crimes and the impact on his young victim. The case has left a lasting scar on the community of Didcot, raising ongoing concerns about safeguarding and the protection of vulnerable children from such predatory behavior.