'Abhorrent crimes': Coventry paedophile jailed for historic rape of West Yorkshire child
A Coventry man has been jailed for more than two decades for raping a child in Batley in the late 1990s.
Anthony Restall, 59, of Manhatten Way, Coventry, was found guilty in August at Leeds Crown Court of six offences.
These included four counts of indecent assault on a girl under 14, one count of raping a female under 16, and a further rape committed on multiple occasions.
The offences occurred between 1998 and 2003.
Following sentencing, Detective Constable Sally Porritt of the Kirklees Child Safeguarding Team said: “I would like to praise the bravery and resilience of the woman in this case.
“Restall has finally had to face the consequences of his abhorrent crimes he committed on a young child.
“I hope today’s significant sentence can bring her some comfort and closure on what has been a harrowing ordeal for all these years.”
Restall was sentenced on Thursday (December 11) to 26 years in prison.
DC Porritt added: “If you have been a victim of a sexual offence and haven’t yet reported it, we have specialist teams who will listen to you and support you throughout the process.
“It will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and professionalism.”