A child abuse victim has been praised for her courage and dignity as the 'dangerous' paedophile responsible begins a lengthy jail term.

A judge told Anthony Collins that although his deviant behaviour had inevitably "wrecked" a period in the girl's life, it had not "broken her spirit".

Canterbury Crown Court heard how, having initially suffered in silence, she finally felt brave enough to report her attacker's depravity.

It was this, said Judge Mark Weekes, that had forced the 55-year-old to "confront" what he had done and admit his guilt in the face of "overwhelming" evidence.

Applauding the victim, he told the sex offender: "You grossly violated her at a time in her life when she was vulnerable. She was left confused and probably frightened.

"She suffered in silence for months, doing her best to cope with the situation.....hating the abuse and feeling unable to speak out....You left her for broken.

"It is beyond any argument that this has had and will have a considerable impact on her life.

“I have read with concern her victim impact statement which sets out the ways in which the abuse impacted on her.
"And yet for all that, the final victory in this case is hers.

“Her courage in coming forward to report you and give evidence against you shows that your abuse did not in fact break her spirit.

“You did not and could not remove her dignity.

"On the contrary, she can have the comfort of knowing that her evidence has been accepted and has been believed.

"She can know that she forced you to confront your own abusive nature and to admit to it.

"She is to be applauded for her bravery in coming forwards in that way. It would not have been an easy step."

Collins, of The Acre, in Whitfield, Dover, pleaded guilty in May to 14 offences of sexual activity with a child, with sentencing adjourned for the preparation of reports.

But when he returned on Friday, the court heard that despite admitting the charges, he had sought to minimise his criminality and try to blame the victim.

Furthermore, the probation officer who assessed Collins had concluded he posed a high risk of re-offending in terms of sexual abuse and exploitation of female children.

In deciding therefore that as a dangerous offender it was necessary to impose an extended sentence for public protection, Judge Weekes told him that although there was "a capacity for remorse and change", the risk he presented required "intensive management" for a long period of time.

Jailing Collins for seven-and-a-half years, of which he will have to serve at least two-thirds before the Parole Board can even consider whether it is safe to release him, the judge said: "I have reached the conclusion that you are dangerous within the meaning of the statute, despite the fact that you are of good character, and despite the letter you have written to me.

"You are no longer a young man and thus the potential for real and lasting change in you is much more limited. However nor will you be old when you are released .
"It is true that you have pleaded guilty, but I judge that to have occurred because you recognised the evidence was overwhelming.

"I also judge that you have sought to minimise your offending very substantially, and seek to attach significant blame to your victim for it.
"From that fact I draw the inevitable conclusion that you lack any deep remorse or insight into your offending."

Collins's denial of a sexual attraction to children was also criticised and highlighted as a further element of risk.

"That failure to acknowledge, coupled with the fact that you victim blame and have only very limited insight, makes you an obvious candidate for further offending if not intensively supervised, in my judgment," continued Judge Weekes.

"As the pre-sentence report author has noted, you engaged in highly risky offending, seemingly oblivious to the chance of being caught.

"It follows that in my judgment although in other respects you are assessed as having respect for the law, you engage in risk-taking offending sexually which in my judgment is apt to make you dangerous.

"You clearly have a significant sexual need and when that sexual desire is not met, or not completely met by an adult, you engage in thoughts of or actual abuse of children.

"It follows that I do consider it necessary to impose an extended sentence in order to protect the public in the future.
"I consider that as you will by no means be an old man on your release, even if you are required to serve the full sentence as you may be, the risk that you pose will need intensive management for a long period of time."

Under the extended sentence, once it is deemed safe to release Collins, he will have a further four-and-a-half years added to any licence period.

He will also be subject to indefinite sex offender notification requirements and barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.