A RAPIST branded in court as 'evil' who preyed on an under age girl has had his jail sentence cut by two years.
Frederick Harrison, 58, raped the girl three times when she was under 13 and subjected her to a horrifying ordeal of sexual abuse.
Harrison, of Padgate Lane, Warrington, was jailed for 12 years at Liverpool Crown Court on December 3 last year after pleading guilty to three rapes, five indecent assaults and two counts of indecency with a child.
But Lord Justice Kennedy, sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court, ruled on Wednesday that the sentence was too long, and reduced it to 10 years.
Quoting from the initial trial judge he told the court: "Words absolutely fail me to summarise what you have done to this young girl. You have stolen what ought to have been a carefree and happy childhood.
"You used her for your personal sexual gratification and I describe what you did to her as no less than evil."
However, Lord Justice Kennedy, sitting with Mr Justice Astill and Mr Justice Gross, concluded: "We share entirely the outrage exhibited by the trial judge - this was evil.
"But, given his plea of guilty, the sentence was too long, and there is a need for consistency in sentencing policy.
"We accordingly quash the sentence of 12 years and impose, instead, one of 10 years."
