Girl has nightmares every night after what this man did to her
Matthew Reed's victim was "scared and sobbing" after he "ruined her life"
A rapist who has spent more than a decade behind bars has been handed yet more jail time. Matthew Reed was previously locked up for sexually assaulting three victims, even targeting one while he was in prison.
He has now admitted raping a four-year-old girl when he himself was a teenager. She was left "scared and sobbing" as he "took her innocence and ruined her life" and callously remarked "it's alright" when she told him that she was in pain.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday, Thursday, how the latest complainant came forward in 2023 having read media coverage concerning Reed's sentencing for similar sexual offences in January of that year. She was said to have confided in family members after being found in a "distressed state" and subsequently told the police that the now 32-year-old, of no fixed address, had undressed her before sexually assaulting and raping her years previously.
Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, described how she was left in tears and also had to attend a walk-in centre as a result of injuries which she sustained during the incident. When the girl had reported that he was "hurting her", Reed merely "said it was alright" and continued his assault.
The defendant was arrested in December last year as a result of the fresh allegations, at which stage he denied having sexually abused the victim. In a statement which was read to the court on her behalf, she detailed how she continues to suffer from nightmares and panic attacks which she fears will "continue for the rest of her life".
Reed received a sentence which was reduced to nine years on appeal in 2023, as well as an extended licence period of five years, for offences including rape. He was also handed 10 years in 2014 for raping another child and an additional seven months in 2017 for sexually assaulting a fellow inmate while behind bars.
Having spent 11 years in custody to date, he had been due to become eligible for release by the Parole Board in January 2027. Nicola Daley, defending, told the court: "All I can really say to your honour is that this defendant presents now in quite a different way to the way he presented when your honour sentenced him a number of years ago.
"He has still been struggling with his own sexuality and his own identity in recent years, which has caused him continuous issues with his own mental health. He is now somebody who wishes to work with the authorities to understand why he might have done what he did in the past.
"He has spent, up until now, about 11 years in custody, which, for a relatively young person, is a long period. He is, in his own words, institutionalised."
Reed pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey polo shirt and glasses, he sat with his arms folded as he was handed an additional three years behind bars.
This term will be served consecutively to the nine-year stretch he is currently subject to. Judge Anil Murray stated that the period of imprisonment would have been one of 12 years for an adult convicted after trial, but reduced this figure to take account of his age at the time of the offence, his guilty plea and totality in relation to his current sentence.
He added in his sentencing remarks: "These are two very serious offences. She was scared and sobbing when you did it. Afterwards, she was scared and did not tell anyone for years.
"She still has nightmares every night and daily trauma. She says you took her innocence and ruined her life. She suffered devastating consequences because of your actions.
"You say that you are remorseful. That may be true. You have not made that very easy for me to accept, because you have had years to contemplate your actions and you denied your offending in interview."