Two men jailed over repeated rape of young child

Warning: This article contains details that some may find distressing

Two "dangerous" men involved in the rape of a baby of "extreme" youth have been jailed for life.

Ethan Towers, 27, of St Ives, Cambridgeshire, raped the baby five times last summer, while John Watson, 28, of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, encouraged him to abuse the child.

Towers was jailed for a minimum of 12 years and five months and Watson was given 13 years and four months after both admitted multiple offences.

At Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge Mark Bishop said the "youth of the baby was extreme", adding that he was "satisfied" that both men were "dangerous and a risk to the public".

The court heard Towers sent indecent images of children to Watson.

Bishop read a victim statement from the baby's mother who said she felt "more isolated and fearful than ever".

Watson sent and received explicit images with another child aged under 16, who both men contacted on social media.

In another victim impact statement from the child, read out by the judge, they said they felt "set free" following their convictions.

Watson had a sexual harm prevention order for previous convictions of making indecent images of children.

At a previous hearing, Towers pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, including various offences involving indecent images of children.

Watson admitted two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, as well as various offences involving indecent images of children and of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Cambridgeshire Police said it had referred the case to authorities responsible for safeguarding.

Bishop handed both individuals restraining orders and they were ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.

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