2009: HEREFORD POSTMAN JAILED FOR 16 YEARS FOR RAPE OF GIRL, 10
A man working as a postman has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a young girl.Norman Vinson, from Belvoir Court, Belmont, Hereford, was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting a girl aged 10, committing these crimes in her home without others knowing.
At Hereford Crown Court, the 56-year-old pleaded guilty to seven charges of child sexual abuse and was also found guilty of possessing seven indecent images of children.
The court heard that the girl wished she could forget the trauma she endured.
She reportedly shared her feelings, saying, “Sometimes I feel like I want to give up on being me and be in my own little world.” Prosecutor James Dunstan recounted that the abuse first occurred in 2006 when the girl was just 10, and she reacted with fear and panic during an attack in a playroom but was afraid to speak out, believing no one would believe her.
The abuse persisted until June 2007, when her friends revealed what was happening to their teachers, resulting in Vinson’s arrest.
Despite a previous conviction from 1981 for indecent assault against two girls, Vinson denied the allegations during police questioning.
Defense attorney Bruce Gray said Vinson was “genuinely ashamed” and found it hard to discuss his actions, which contributed to his initial denial but prevented the girl from giving evidence earlier.
Judge Amjad Nawaz stated that Vinson remains a significant danger to children and ordered lifelong monitoring.
He will be eligible for parole after serving eight years and is subject to a sexual offences prevention order that prohibits any contact or employment involving children indefinitely.
