A WOMAN who organised the rape and sexual abuse of a young girl with two men has been given a life sentence.
Vicki Bevan, 37, Tony Hutton 42, and Paul Rafferty, 62, who are all from St Helens and were involved in the systematic abuse of a girl under 10 years of age over a two-year period from 2019 until 2021, appeared in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court today (May 13).
Images of the horrific abuse were shared between the three and Bevan also shared them more widely on the platform Kik Messenger.
In an earlier hearing, Bevan had pleaded guilty to one count of rape jointly with Rafferty; two sexual assaults one jointly with Hutton and one with Rafferty; four Sexual assaults by penetration, one jointly with Rafferty; one count of attempted sexual assault by penetration; one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; three counts of sexual activity with a child; 17 counts of making indecent images of children; two counts of possessing extreme pornographic images and three counts of distribution of indecent images of children.
Meanwhile, Rafferty pleaded guilty to one Rape jointly with Bevan; one sexual assault by penetration jointly with Bevan; one sexual assault of a child jointly with Bevan and six of making indecent images of children.
Hutton pleaded guilty to one sexual assault of a child jointly with Bevan and three counts of making indecent images of children.
The judge recorder of Liverpool Andrew Menary QC said the "scale of depravity" involved in the offending "beggars belief".
Bevan, of Newtown, St Helens, was given a life sentence, and must serve at least 10 years and 44 days in prison before being eligible for parole.
The judge stressed this is a "life sentence" and the minimum time to be served is "not a fixed term but is the initial term before the Parole Board can undertake a first review".
Rafferty, of Fry Street, Parr, was given an extended sentence, consisting of a 10-year custodial term and four years on licence.
Meanwhile, Hutton, of Liverpool Street, St Helens, was sentenced to four years.
Full report to follow
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