Paedophile who raped girl, 4, the day before she started school may serve just two years in jail

Andy Wells
·Freelance Writer
<em>John Barbour raped his victim when she was just four years old (Police Scotland)</em>
John Barbour raped his victim when she was just four years old (Police Scotland)

A man who raped a four-year-old girl the day before she started school may be only serve two years in jail before being released.

John Barbour repeatedly raped his victim between August 1984 and December 1986 but was only recently brought to justice.

Dad-of-four Barbour, 52, was found guilty of two offences of indecency and one rape charge at Edinburgh High Court and given a four-year sentence – meaning he may be eligible for parole in two years.

His victim, who is now 38-years-old, lashed out at the sentence.

<em>Barbour was sentenced to four years at Edinburgh High Court (Geograph)</em>
Barbour was sentenced to four years at Edinburgh High Court (Geograph)

The woman, from Aberdeen, who does now wish to be named, told the Daily Record: ‘He stole my innocence and my childhood and it affects me every day of my life, a life he has ruined.

‘I could not believe, after what he was found guilty of doing to me, and at the age I was, that the judge thought he should only be sentenced to four years.

‘I felt as though I’d been punched in the stomach and wondered why I’d bothered to put myself through it.’

The woman said that Barbour would give her bags of 20p and 50p coins and threatened to hurt her if she ever told anyone about his abuse.

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She said that as a result of her experience, she has trust issues and both of her marriages have failed because she can’t cope with the ‘physical side of marriage’, and her health has suffered.

She suffers depression, severe anxiety and panic attacks and only leaves her home for doctors appointments.

The woman also admitted to feeling suicidal and claimed her aunt, who died on Boxing Day last year, was also abused by Barbour.

Her solicitor now plans to appeal against the leniency of Barbour’s sentence.