A man has been sentenced to 8 years 9 months in prison having been found guilty of a sex offence of a six-year-old child.

On Monday 22 May, a St Albans Crown Court jury found Shakir Rahman, aged 46, of Creighton Avenue, St Albans, guilty of the rape of a child under 13 years old.

This Wednesday 12 July, Rahman was given a jail sentence of 8 years 9 months in a prison cell, followed by 12 months on an extended licence.

The court heard how the victim, who was aged just six years old at the time in June 2018, was raped by Rahman in St Albans.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Zoe Maddison, said: “I’d like to thank the victim and her family for their bravery in supporting this investigation throughout. Their strength in reporting this incident has resulted in a dangerous man being put behind bars.

“We take all reports of sexual assault seriously, no matter how long ago they took place, and do all we can to bring offenders to justice.”