IPSWICH: A 60-year-old paedophile is behind bars today for raping a teenager who became pregnant by him.

Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court, Christopher Richardson, of Morland Road, Ipswich, was sentenced to ten years in prison.

He had denied raping the child but had already admitted indecently assaulting the girl and another offence of indecency with her.

During the trial the court heard Richardson could not understand how his victim became pregnant as he did not remember having sex with her. DNA evidence submitted to the court suggested Richardson was 1.2 million times more likely to be the father of the baby than an unknown male.

The pregnancy was only discovered when the girl told her mother six months after becoming pregnant.

A jury took two hours and 17 minutes to convict Richardson.

Judge John Holt said it was clear there had been several instances of sexual intimacy between Richardson and his victim.

Addressing Richardson, Judge Holt said: “You were tried by a jury for rape and you were convicted. It is clear she did not consent to any sexual intimacy let alone rape. It is clear there were several instances of sexual intimacy.”

The judge added: “Apart from her age you made her pregnant. It is clear you must go to prison for a considerable period of time.”

Richardson was sentenced to ten years for the rape and two years (concurrent) for the other charges.

Speaking to The Evening Star after the sentencing, Richardson’s daughter Sam Pizey, of Acle in Norfolk, said the family were satisfied with the outcome of the trial.

She said: “Everyone is pleased justice has been done. We thought it was quite a long sentence and he has had a lot of health problems.

“Some people in the family are very upset but most are pleased that justice has been done. It is years since the first complaint was made and it has been going on for a long while. It is time for us to start a new life and move on.”

n What do you think of this sentence? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or alternatively you can send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk