Soldier who repeatedly raped six-year-old after ‘bribing her with M&Ms’ jailed for 19 years

Kelly denied two counts of rape and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity during an initial trial in 2015

Kelly was convicted of two counts of rape and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity at a retrial on Monday at Swindon Crown Court

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A solider who repeatedly raped a six-year-old girl has been jailed for 19 years.

Mark Kelly, 32, sexually abused the child on the Army base he worked at in Lyneham, Wilts.

After bribing her with M&Ms, he forced her to carry out sex acts on him and told her she would be taken away from her family if she told anyone.

The young girl told her mother about the abuse, which took place in 2014.

Kelly denied two counts of rape and two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity during the trial in 2015, where a verdict was not reached.

He was convicted of all four charges at a retrial on Monday at Swindon Crown Court.

Giles Nelson, prosecuting, said the girl’s family were devastated by what happened at the hands of the defendant, according to the Daily Record.

A victim statement from the mother said: “I feel sick to the stomach about what he has done to my child and that will be with me to the day I die.”

Defending Kelly, Ed Burgess said his client had an “exemplary army record” after serving in the 10th Signals Regiment for 13 years, reported the Mirror.

Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “You took the opportunity to abuse her in a vile and deprived way.

“Nobody could fail to notice as she gave evidence her extreme innocence and you have taken that away from her.

“One can only speculate how she will be affected in the future by what you did.”