Cruel Leeds mum allowed daughter to be sexually abused 40 years ago

The victim, now in her 50s, took the brave step when she was a child to speak out about her mum's boyfriend who had raped her and indecently assaulted her - but her mum accused of lying, being jealous and even leading her rapist on.

Leeds Crown Court was told that the vile mother had later encouraged her boyfriend to abuse the youngster, who had learning difficulties.

The mother, now aged 79 but who cannot be named to protect her daughter's identity, admitted a charge of child neglect.

In a statement read out by prosecutor Gerald Hendron on the daughter's behalf, she said: "It made me feel dirty. I feel scarred. It isn't going to go away. She let it happen.

"She should have been there for me, but wasn't. My life is destroyed, I'm not going to be the same again. The damage is done."

The victim, who is from the west area of Leeds, had even told police in the 1980s, but no action was taken. It was not until a cold-case team revisited her complaints in recent years that charges were finally brought against her rapist. He was jailed for more than a decade following a trial, having continued to deny the offences.

The young victim had told her mother "five or six times" about the abuse, but said she was hit by her mother and called a liar. Horrifically, she was previously sexually abused by her own father before he left.

She self harmed by hitting her head on a concrete floor and cutting herself with knives. Even today she is afraid to go out on her own, often doesn't sleep, and has recurring dreams of her rapist being stood over her.

Mitigating for her mother, who has been held on remand in HMP New Hall, Andrew Petterson said she deserved credit for her guilty plea, had no previous convictions and was "finding it difficult" in prison due to her age.

Judge Ray Singh told the pensioner: "One thing expected of a parent is to protect your children, and you failed to do so in the most callous way. He raped your daughter after you had been advised about his behaviour.

"You were prepared to tell anyone who would listen that she was a liar. You said she was the one that was trouble, was sexually promiscuous and was jealous.

"You did nothing to protect her. Even now, at your age, you are still blaming your daughter when she is blameless.

"There has been not one scintilla of remorse. You turned a blind eye to her being abused."

Judge Singh said due to the age of the crime, he had to follow the lenient sentencing powers from the early 1980s for child cruelty - a maximum of two years' jail. It now stands at 14 years.

He told the woman: "The maximum sentence available to me is, I'm afraid wholly, unrealistic, but I am bound by it. My hands are tied, regrettably. There's nothing I can do about that."

He imposed the maximum two years, minus the credit for her guilty plea, giving her an overall 19-month jail sentence.