Jail Term Reduced For Rapist Father

A man who fathered nine children with his two daughters has won a cut in his jail term.

Sheffield Crown Court ruled the Sheffield man, who was ordered to serve at least 19-and-a-half years of a life sentence for raping his two daughters, was entitled to a five year reduction to his minimum jail term.

Last November a judge at the Crown Court ordered that the man, who abused his daughters over a 20-year period, serve the sentence on 25 specimen counts of rape and four indecent assaults.

However, following an appeal, the unnamed man in his mid-50s, has had his sentenced reduced by five years.

Sheffield Crown Court was told last November that the attacks on the man's daughters led to 19 pregnancies.

Nine of the children were born, two of whom died on the day of their birth. The other 10 pregnancies were miscarried or aborted.

Lord Justice Hughes, sitting with Lord Justice Etherton and Mr Justice Holroyde, told the appeals court that although the offences were "ghastly", the minimum term imposed was too long.

The judge told how the man ruined the lives of his two daughters' lives with a catalogue of abuse.

Lord Justice Hughes also said the victim impact statements made by the two women made harrowing reading.

"This adds up to a near lifetime of sexual abuse by the defendant, of people who, as their father, he was supposed to be protecting," he said.

It was ruled the minimum jail term should be reduced as it was in line with those imposed for "serious murders".

(JM/BMcc)