A paedophile from Clitheroe carried out a campaign of rape and sexual abuse against a young girl over a four-year period, ending in 2025, Preston Crown Court heard.
Michele Scappaticci, 58, of Lancaster Drive, pleaded guilty to 19 charges, including three counts of raping a child, four counts of assaulting a child under 13 by penetration, two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and multiple counts of making, taking and possessing indecent images of children.
The court was told that Scappaticci told the girl she was “ready now” after she had started sex education lessons at school. Prosecutor Amanda Johnson said there were more than 30 occasions where he raped or sexually abused the child. He also showed the girl pornography and took indecent images of her.
When Scappaticci was arrested, police discovered a folder on his phone that was password-protected and disguised as a calculator app. Inside were 778 indecent images and videos, including 18 stills and 16 videos of the victim, some showing him engaged in sexual acts with her. The material also included 204 Category A images—the most serious kind—depicting children as young as toddlers, along with 139 Category B images, 160 Category C images, 261 extreme pornographic videos and a single prohibited image.
Scappaticci offered to buy the girl gifts if she allowed the abuse to continue. The victim’s statement, read by Ms Johnson, said: “I didn’t realise how wrong it all was, I didn’t understand. I feel like my childhood is ruined now, and I can’t do anything about it. I just want to be a normal teenager.”
Judge Graham Knowles praised the girl’s bravery in telling her mother, which led to Scappaticci’s arrest. He dismissed mitigation about charitable work and good character, stating they “can count for little when your crimes are of such cruelty and depravity”. The judge noted that the probation report described Scappaticci as “predatory and manipulative”.
During the hearing, Scappaticci was seen shaking his head as the victim’s mother read a statement. Judge Knowles remarked: “You tried to catch my eye while the statement was read out. I find you are not remorseful. You are a highly dangerous man.”
Mitigating, Chloe Fordham said her client had used his time on remand constructively and that a prison chaplain’s letter said he was “fully aware of the harm he has caused”. She said there was evidence of remorse in the pre-sentence report and through his guilty pleas, and that he was willing to address his offending.
Judge Knowles imposed an 18-year custodial term with an eight-year extended licence, making a total sentence of 26 years. Scappaticci must serve at least two-thirds of the 18 years before being considered for parole. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for life, made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order protecting the victim.