Man who 'systematically' raped and fathered children with own daughter for two decades handed 40-year sentence

• This article contains graphic content.

A man who fathered at least six children with his own daughter has been handed a forty-year sentence - 22 of which he will be made to serve in prison.

The court heard the defendant, who cannot be named to protect his victims, "systematically raped" his daughter, controlled her life and emotionally manipulated her.

He also went on to repeatedly rape one of the children he had with his daughter.

Swansea Crown Court heard he also abused and raped another of his daughters when he was a teenager - and arranged for her to be abused by another man.

A judge told him what he had done to his family "plumbed the depths of depravity", and his actions had been "utterly wicked".

The defendant, who lives in south west Wales, had denied 36 counts of rape and one of sexual assault but wasconvicted on all counts following a trial.

The defendant began abusing and raping his first victim when she was aged just 14 - within months she was pregnant with his first child.

He controlled every aspect of her life, even invoking elements of witchcraft and creating a "fake mystic" who would send his daughter messages telling her to perform sex acts with her dad.

The court heard she went through nine pregnancies during her years of abuse. She had six children with DNA tests showing all were fathered by the defendant.

The defendant would go on to repeatedly rape one of the girls he had fathered with his first victim, again using mysticism and witchcraft to control her.

But during his trial he claimed both the daughter he had fathered six children with and her daughter had blackmailed him into having sexual relationships with them.

He claimed the other daughter he had raped as a teenager was simply making up the allegations against him in the hopes of getting compensation.

But the jury did not believe him.

At the sentencing hearing barrister Craig Jones read impact statements from two of the defendant's victims.

The first victim, the daughter the man had fathered children with, said he had tricked, fooled and abused her to such an extent that she thought what was going on was "a normal upbringing".

She said she had never learned what true was, and "my life has been a big secret".

The woman added that her children had been taken off her as a result of the truth coming out, and said "My children were the only things I loved and was proud of - because of him I have lost them".

In the second statement read to court another of the defendant's daughters said she had been "made to feel small in a big world" and abused by someone who should have been protecting her.

She said she had kept the abuse secret for many years but now "Telling the truth about what happened has finally set me free from him".

• "You are as cowardly as you are wicked."

Judge Paul Thomas QC told the defendant he had carried out a "horrific campaign" of manipulation and rapes against his own daughters.He said: "You have left your victims, your daughters, with their lives in pieces... You sexually abused and raped three of your daughters."

He told the defendant he had "cynically and mercilessly" taken advantage of the females for his own sexual gratification.

The judge said the defendant had consigned the daughter he fathered children with to a life which amounted to a "form of sexual slavery".

Judge Thomas said the man had then denied all the offences, and tried to paint himself as the victim of the piece.

He told him: "You are as cowardly as you are wicked."

• "A vile and reprehensible individual"

An NSPCC spokesperson said, “This was a horrific series of sustained sexual offences carried out by a vile and reprehensible individual.

“The severity of the sentence shows the danger this person poses and his victims must be praised for their bravery in speaking out. This case shows how survivors of abuse can come forward and see justice served no matter how much time has elapsed.”

The defendant was made the subject of a 40-year extended sentence comprising 33 years in prison, and seven years on licence.

He will have to serve 22 years before he can apply for parole but will only be released if the authorities consider he is no longer a danger. He will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

The man who the defendant arranged to rape one of his daughters had previously pleaded guilty, and awaits sentence.