A MAN who raped a girl while wearing a clown’s mask and subjected her to years of abuse has been jailed for 12 years.

Anthony Hearn, 51, of Linwood Lane, March, Cambridgeshire, was sentenced at Huntingdon Crown Court on Tuesday.

He had previously been found guilty of 20 sexual offences, including rape, sexual assault, four charges of sexual activity with a child, and nine charges of indecent assault.

The offences were committed by Hearn between 1995 and 2007, some of them taking part before his victim’s eighth birthday. He had denied all the charges.

At Hearn’s trial at Huntingdon Crown Court, his victim, now an adult, had told the jury she always had a fear of clowns.

Recalling the rape, she said: “The assault happened when he had a clown’s outfit on. It was a clown’s face.

She also said during the trial: “Growing up being abused had an effect on me. It affected me mentally.” She admitted having played truant from school.

The court had heard how the girl had recorded a phone conversation with Hearn back in 2008, but she only revealed details to the police a year later. She had failed to reveal details of the call because she had been afraid of what Hearn would do to her family.

After Hearn was jailed, DC Amanda Pickering said: “Hearn is a dangerous man who repeatedly subjected his young victim to sexual assaults and rape.

“Thanks to the bravery of his victim, who showed great strength throughout the court process, justice has been served.

“I hope this now gives her a sense of closure and allows her to begin moving on with her life.”