A PAEDOPHILE has been jailed for raping and sexually abusing a child and for voyeurism after taking more than 10,000 photos of her using a spy camera hidden in an air freshener.

Jaroslaw Suwalski who had been living in Worcester showed no emotion as he was jailed at Worcester Crown Court today following the abuse of the girl which began when she was just seven years old.

In a victim personal statement she described how the abuse left her feeling 'numb'. She said: "I felt felt lifeless. I lost myself so much I didn't even recognise myself."

The 43-year-old defendant, who had been living in Shrub Hill, Worcester, was convicted unanimously by a jury following a trial held in Coventry after a jury saw through what the judge called called the defendant's 'trickery'.

The Polish national, described by the judge as an economic migrant, now faces automatic deportation after he was convicted of five counts involving sexual offences against the same child who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Suwalski, who had been of previous good character, was sentenced for rape of a child under 13, two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, voyeurism and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

Suwalski's abuse happened between November 25, 2007 and August 23, 2017. The guilty verdicts were delivered by the jury on April 9 this year.

The victim went on to describe how she was left feeling 'alone and vulnerable' and how the abuse had been 'emotionally draining'. She added: "I was desensitised to any emotion. I felt like I wasn't alive."

She also said: "When I looked in the mirror, I didn't feel real."

Judge James Burbidge QC, sentencing, described how the defendant had hidden a spy camera in an air freshener and had used it to take more than 10,500 photographs. Suwalski claimed the camera was to make sure the victim did not self-harm. However, Judge Burbidge said: "You did it for your own sexual gratification."

The judge concluded there was no evidence that the defendant intended to share the photographs with paedophiles. He told the the defendant: "Since 2007 you have had a dark secret."

Suwalski was told he had abused the girl 'in the grossest of ways' and categorised him as 'an offender of particular concern'.

Judge Burbidge said an interview with a probation officer suggested Suwalski was 'still in denial'. "That is a cause for concern and should be for the Parole Board in due course," he said.

The judge sentenced him to 17 years for the rape with a one year extension on the licence period to reflect that he identified Suwalski as an offender of particular concern but said he stepped back from classifying him as a dangerous offender in law. He must serve at least two thirds of the sentence in custody before the case is referred to the Parole Board. Concurrent sentences of six years, seven years, 18 months and two years were imposed for the other counts on the indictment. The total sentence therefore remains one of 17 years.

"You will do doubt be contacted by the debarring authority to say you should not work with children," said Judge Burbidge.

Judge Burbidge also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact or communication of any kind with any child under 16 other than is inadvertent or not reasonably avoidable in the course of daily life and unless he has the prior consent of the child's parents or guardian who must have full knowledge of his conviction and the express prior approval of social services.

He is further prohibited from living anywhere where any child under 16 is also living and from possessing any device which can store still or moving images which is disguised as something else.

West Mercia Police was asked to supply a custody photo of the defendant but said they were unable to provide one.