A brave child rape victim posed as a paedophile to trap the man who abused her by befriending him. Hugo Guerriro De Sousa was convicted of distributing and making images of child sex abuse in 2021 when the woman, who was abused by the 46-year-old as a child set up a fake online identity. Derby Crown Court heard that the victim “set up a trap” where De Sousa admitted he had sexually abused a child but he never guessed it was her. The court heard it was a plan that “worked to perfection”, the Daily Mail reports.

De Sousa, originally from Portugal, was handed a 22-year sentence after admitting rape and sexual assault of a child and possession of images of child sex abuse.

Judge Jonathan Bennet warned he could also be liable for deportation.

Judge Bennett, sentencing said he “blighted” the victim’s childhood by “using her as a sexual chattel and corrupting her”.

He said: “These offences actually came to light by reason of your conviction for indecent images in 2021 when you were made the subject of a suspended sentence for making and distributing the images. Your victim became aware of that and she thought she might now be believed.

“In effect, she set up a trap for you under a pseudonym on an online chat site where she discussed with you your predilection for underage girls and you made admissions (to the pseudonym) that you had sexually abused (her as) a child. In terms of what you did after you first abused her, you behaved as though nothing had taken place.

“But by doing what you did to her, you have blighted her childhood by using her as a sexual chattel and corrupting her. Then, in your (pre-sentence) report you begin victim-blaming, placing responsibility on what you did to her, and that factor gives me great concern.”

In a victim impact statement, the victim told of how she suffered from nightmares and started working nights because she couldn’t sleep properly.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Hayley Beautyman branded De Sousa’s actions “despicable” before thanking the victim for her bravery.

She said: “It was because of these investigations that the victim found she had enough courage to come forward and report her ordeal.

“I would especially like to thank the victim for being brave enough to come forward and report this. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and also of the danger that Guerriro De Sousa poses to children and young adults. I would also like to urge other victims of abuse to come forward, to report any concerns and to know that they will be supported by our specialist teams.”

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