June 2016: Peter Huish has now been released and is living in a hostel in Weymouth in Dorset

April 2011

Rape ordeal: 40-year wait for justice

A MAN who repeatedly raped his teenage step-daughter nearly 40 years ago has been jailed for 10 years – despite his victim asking for mercy.

Peter Huish, 74, raped the teenage girl six times and photographed her naked.

Despite confessing to his wife and a therapist more than 30 years ago, he has escaped justice until now.

His victim finally reported the attack to the police last year after she said ‘something just snapped’.

The victim who has waived her right to anonymity, asked Judge Jeremy Richardson QC not to send Huish, whose address was given in court as Heron Court, Bridport, to prison but asked that his name be published.

Prosecutor Simon Waley told Hull Crown Court: “His victim has asked that I place great emphasis upon this, she has no desire for a prison sentence. What she feels is justice for her is that he is named.”

Judge Richardson described her request as a ‘worthy’ one but stated that he must be sent to custody. He told Huish his conduct was ‘wicked and grotesque’.

He said: “It was truly wicked. The sentence is 10 years in prison and you richly deserve it.”

Huish pleaded guilty to six counts of rape against a teenage girl committed in 1973 at a time when he was living in Barton-Upon-Humber.

The court was told that he confessed to his wife years later and instead of reporting him to the police she sent him for therapy where again he confessed to his counsellor.

Despite him also telling the counsellor that he had a ‘fascination’ for the girl the police were never informed.

Mr Waley added: “She has tried to blot as much of this from her memory as she can. She recalls he would buy her sweets.”

The court also heard he took photographs of her naked.

Huish’s barrister Guy Wyatt said: “You will be aware just how rare it is for matters to come before the court after such a long delay and frequently in cases of offences of this kind it is rarer for guilty pleas to be entered.

“He is thoroughly contrite and ashamed of himself. It is all his fault and he acknowledges that.

“From the very first time that I met him I told him he would be going to prison and it would be for a number of years.”

Huish was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life