Ex-Wolverhampton soldier is jailed for rape

A former soldier from Wolverhampton who raped a young girl has been jailed for 15 years.

Gareth Evans will be on an extended licence for a further five years after he is released and registered as a sex offender for life after a judge ruled he was "dangerous".

The 31-year-old from Bilston was caught after a second victim, a teenager, contacted the police and told them he had molested her a few years earlier.

When officers examined his computer they found child pornography which he started downloading shortly after a court martial for similar matters which saw him drummed out of the forces.

Miss Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the older girl contacted police in October last year.

She told how he had molested her in 2007.Evans was then arrested and when questioned he came clean about abusing the other girl.

He had previously been thrown out of the services and put on a community order after admitting four offences at court martial. Evans, of Wellington Road, Bilston, pleaded guilty to rape of a child, four counts of sexual assault of a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, and three of making indecent images of a child.

Mr Mark Nicholls, defending, said his client pleaded guilty to all the charges and had been candid with the police when he was questioned. He said: "Mr Evans has recognised at an early stage that he had a real problem. He has never sought to excuse his behaviour. He knows it is abhorrent."

Jailing him Judge Douglas Field said: "I consider you to be dangerous. In view of the sentence I intend to impose I have decided I will not impose an indeterminate sentence."

He jailed him for 15 years with a five-year extended licence, banned him from working with children and told him he must register as a sex offender for life. He also imposed a sexual offences prevention order restricting his liberty including banning him from unsupervised contact with children.