Mansfield paedophile ruined victim’s childhood and left her paralysed by fear

Sarel Van Der Merwe, aged 41, of Carter Lane, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13, and two charges of causing a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Van Der Merwe told police the abuse happened on three occasions, prosecutor Ian West said, shortly after his victim told her teacher she had been abused.

Nottingham Crown Court was told on Wednesday how he kissed and sucked her breasts, touched her vagina and got her to masturbate him to ejaculation.

In a statement, the victim's mother said ‘unexpected things can trigger flashbacks’ and described her daughter ‘seeing him as a black figure in crowded places.’

On one occasion the girl cried out: “It's there, it's there – it's coming for me.”

She said her daughter’s ‘fear was so strong she was paralysed’. And because she kept seeing black figures in the mirror, ‘we have had to take down all the mirrors in the house.’

The court heard Van Der Merwe’s victim has since tried to harm herself and once ‘locked herself in the bathroom with a knife.’

“She mainly stresses about being gotten by him,” the girl’s mother said. “She is physically exhausted by the whole experience. This has ruined her childhood.”

Gregor Purcell, mitigating, said Van Der Merwe, of previous good character, made admissions from the start.

“He knows he should never have behaved in the way he did. There is nothing he can do to put right what he has done wrong here."

Mr Purcell said Van Der Merwe has sought assistance for his offending with 'offence-focused work' which will ‘hopefully reduce the risk he will present.’

Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, the Recorder of Nottingham, told him: "This is serious sexual abuse. You used her as a sexual plaything.

"It has ruined her childhood. In some ways this will stay with her to the end of her life."

He jailed Van de Merwe for four years and eight months and imposed a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.

Detective Constable Kate Waters, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Van Der Merwe has now been jailed for his crimes and I hope it brings some closure both for the victim, who showed a huge amount of courage in coming forward to report what had been happening to her, and for her family, who have also been impacted by his offending.

“I hope this case serves as a reminder to other victims of sexual assault that even if incidents happened some time ago, if you speak to us and report it, we will listen to you and carry out a full investigation to do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.

“We would urge anyone with any concerns to speak to an officer, or call 101, to have a chat and report any incidents of sexual abuse.”