Couple who filmed sexual abuse of child jailed
A couple who filmed themselves raping and sexually abusing a child in a series of "horrific" attacks have been jailed.
A court heard how Bethany Hill, 26, of Boulevard in Hull, and Zabien Burns, 34, of Arlington Road in London, abused the vulnerable child over a sustained period of time.
Burns denied 10 offences including two counts of rape, four of sexual assault, three of making indecent images of children and one of causing the sexual exploitation of a child.
But a jury at Hull Crown Court found him guilty of all offences. He was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years and eight months.
He will be on the sex offenders register for life and was handed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.
Hill pleaded guilty to eight offences, including two counts of rape, four counts of sexual assault, arranging the commission of a child sex offence and causing the sexual exploitation of a child.
She was jailed for eight years and four months and will be on the sex offenders register for life, and was also handed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.
Kama Melly KC, prosecuting, told the court the abuse came to light after phones belonging to Burns were seized as part of an investigation into violence towards Hill.Hundreds of child abuse images and several videos were found of Burns and Hill repeatedly abusing the young girl. Hill was shown holding the camera to film the abuse."The offences were discovered from the recordings," Miss Melly said. "She was abused by the defendants on multiple occasions."The girl's mother said: "I never thought something so sickening would happen to my family."Their actions have sickened me to the core. It made me feel completely numb. It was a big, horrible shock."I started to feel rage. I feel so much anger towards what monsters like these do to children."What has happened is constantly on my mind. I sometimes find it incredibly difficult to sleep. My brain always seems to be going at 1,000 miles an hour."Addressing Burns and Hill, she said: "There are no words to describe what you two are. What you did was vile and cruel."
Speaking after the sentencing, she added: “Hill and Burns are vile and cruel. They took my trust and broke it in the most monstrous way by doing something that no person should be capable of."
Judge Richard Woolfall said Hill was "fully engaging" in Burns' abuse.
He told Burns: "You have committed serious and depraved offending."Addressing Hill, the judge said: "You accept that you were responsible for that abuse. You were fully engaging in what was going on. There is no evidence of any reluctance on your part."
Det Con Annabel Devall, of Humberside Police, said: "This is one of the most horrific and despicable cases I have ever worked on where a child, one of the most vulnerable people in our society, has been subjected to abominable sexual abuse over a prolonged period.
“Hearing of the nature of these offences is something that will no doubt affect every member of society, and the actions of these individuals are appalling; not only affecting the victim, but also their family.
“This is something the family will never be able to forget, and despite the result here today, it is a trauma they are all going to have to live with for the rest of their lives.
“The offences in this case have been described as disgusting and heinous, and I can only agree, as the victim was purposefully targeted for being too young to understand what was happening to them."
Humberside Police are urging people who may have been a victim of any sexual offences, or know someone who has, to report it to the police.
The force's latest campaign, Tell Someone, tells the story of a sexual abuse survivor who has waived her legal right to lifelong anonymity to encourage other victims and survivors to come forward.
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