Man jailed for 19 years for rape and abuse of young girl

MAN JAILED FOR 19 YEARS FOR RAPE AND ABUSE OF YOUNG GIRL

A man aged 39 from Cardiff was sentenced to a total of 19 years in prison, with an additional eight years on extended licence, after admitting to numerous sexual offences involving two young girls in Bristol.

Mark Manship was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting a young girl, as well as sharing explicit images of her online.

He also admitted to having taken an indecent photograph of a teenage girl in 2011.

The court heard that Manship was identified through an investigation involving an undercover FBI agent in December 2020, with whom he exchanged sexually-explicit messages and child abuse images, which led to police involvement.

Following his arrest by Avon and Somerset Police, authorities searched his electronic devices and found hundreds of indecent images depicting minors.

He faced several charges, including one count of child rape, four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, two counts of making indecent images, two counts of sharing such images, and one count of producing indecent photographs.

Manship pleaded guilty to all charges at his hearing last month.

A victim personal statement highlighted the lasting effects of the abuse, including feelings of insecurity, fear, and distrust, disrupting their sense of safety.

The judge described the case as profoundly troubling and characterised the crimes as revolting.

Manship received a 19-year prison sentence, with a further eight years on extended licence, alongside lifelong orders to prevent sexual harm and restrain contact, and was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.