A rapist who treated a child victim like a "sex object" has been locked up for over 20 years.
Ernest Short, 57, carried out a campaign of sexual abuse against a child and was sentenced to 22 years behind bars and ordered to remain on the sex offender's register for life.
Short appeared at Durham Crown Court on November 15, via video link from HMP Durham prison, to be sentenced for charges of rape and indecent assault, Chronicle Live reports.
Short had been found guilty of the charges following a trial.
Prosecutor Vincent Ward told the court Short had raped the young victim - who is now an adult and can not be identified for legal reasons.
He said Short had caused "severe psychological harm" and had used elements of "emotional blackmail" in his offending.
In a statement read out to the court, the victim said Short had "ruined" their life and had left them battling post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.
The court heard that Short, of Borough Road, North Shields, had previous convictions for "low-level violence".
Shaun Routledge, defending, said Short had "not been in the best of health" and had to undergo "exploratory investigations" for cancer during his trial.
He added Short had "suffered with his own mental health problems".
Sentencing him, Judge James Adkin, the Recorder of Durham, said Short had treated the victim "as a sex object".
He said Short threatened the victim, saying he would "kill himself" if his crimes ever came to light and said there was very "little mitigation, if any" in his case.
Short was jailed for 22 years and made subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order and lifelong restraining order.
He will also be on the sex offenders' register for life.
He must serve at least 14 years in prison before he is released on licence.
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