A “DEPRAVED” couple have been jailed for a total of 40 years after they treated a young girl “like some kind of animated sex toy”.

Simon Parsons, 44, and Rebecca Dow, 39, from Newport were convicted of a catalogue of serious offences by a jury following a trial.

Their brave victim confronted the defendants at Cardiff Crown Court and told them they had “destroyed” her as she delivered a moving impact statement.

She said: “You have traumatised me for the rest of my life. I dream to be normal.

“I had my life torn apart and turned upside down. I never had a childhood. I never deserved this.

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“I carry the feeling of guilt and shame every day. I am a messed up kid and that's not my fault.

“You have damaged every aspect of my life that you could.

“This is not the life I dreamed of as a girl. I have tried to put it to the back of my mind, but it's me who has to live with it 24/7.

“You have tortured, humiliated and destroyed me. I don't live, I survive.”

Parsons was found guilty of two counts of child rape, four counts of the sexual assault of a child, two counts of assault by penetration against a child, four counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Dow was convicted of two counts of aiding and abetting the rape of a child, four counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and five counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

The defendants had denied all the offences which were committed in Newport.

Caroline Rees KC representing Parsons told Judge David Wynn Morgan: “This is his first experience of the prison system and I can reassure your honour that it has been hard and it has had a grave impact upon him.

“He knows a much longer sentence is to follow today of course but it's already had a considerable effect upon him.”

David Elias KC for Dow said: “She continues to deny the offences.

“There is nothing I can say to minimise them.”

Judge Wynn Morgan told the defendants: “The evidence from the victim personal statement is that you have both caused incalculable harm to her.

“In the pursuit of your perverted sexual gratification you were treating her as some kind of animated sex toy.”

Turning to Dow, he said: “You assisted your co-defendant in the commission of unspeakable crimes against her.”

He added to both: “So far as the offences on the indictment are concerned, they run the full gamut of depravity.”

Addressing Parsons, he told him: “The evidence disclosed in your case Parsons, is that you have a most unhealthy preoccupation with sex.”

Parsons, latterly of Arlington Crescent, Llanrumney, Cardiff was jailed for 24 years.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison plus an extended period of eight years on licence following his release.

Parsons will have to serve two-thirds of the 16-year custodial term behind bars before being eligible for parole.

Dow, of Tregwilym Road, Rogerstone, Newport was sent to prison for 16 years and will also have to serve two-thirds of her sentence in jail before she is eligible for parole.

Both defendants were made the subject of indefinite restraining orders not to contact their victim as well as sexual harm prevention orders that could last for life.