A paedophile who raped a four-year-old girl almost 20 years ago has been jailed.
Mark Mansell made the child promise not to tell anyone “their secret” and said no one would believe her if she told them, police said.
The 43-year-old, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 13 years on Friday, almost 20 years after the horrifying incident took place.
Between July 1 and July 16, 1998, Mansell raped the victim – then age four – at friend's home in Mitcham.
In 2001, he was interviewed under caution and denied the sexual abuse – saying he was “devastated” to be accused of such a thing.
Officers did not pursue the matter further due to insufficient evidence, Scotland Yard said.
But the victim reported the incident in 2013 and it was again investigated.
In 2015 Mansell, who was by that time homeless and living on the streets of Southampton, was arrested by Hampshire Police.
Mansell was charged with rape of a girl under the age of 13, attempted rape, indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 and gross indecency with a girl under 14 in July 2016.
DC Aaron Vardy said: "I would like to pay tribute to the victim and her family for their bravery and courage. They never gave up on their quest for justice. She showed true bravery as she was forced to re-live some of the darkest moments from her life to ensure Mansell paid for his horrific crimes.
"Mansell is a dangerous sexual predator who abused his position of trust to physically and mentally torture a vulnerable defenceless child.
"I fear that there may be further victims of Mansell still out there suffering in silence. I would urge them to come forward and speak to their local police force.
"They will be treated with respect and their allegations will be investigated in the strictest confidence in a caring and professional manner."
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