A Wirral man who made a young girl indulge in his depraved sexual fantasies was put behind bars for 17 years today.

Liverpool Crown Court heard David Fuge’s traumatised victim realised she had carried it all her life and that she had to reveal it to be able to move on.

69-year-old Fuge disputed her allegations and she had to give evidence at his trial, after which he was convicted of a string of offences including rape.

Jailing him Judge Norman Wright told Fuge, who showed no emotion, that his perverted acts occurred beneath the surface of a man who had the public face of a God-fearing Jehovah’s Witness.

“She had been your sexual plaything and acted out a lot of your deepest darkest fantasies," said the judge.

"You posed her in provocative positions and then photographed her - all this for your perverted sexual gratification.

“What you have done has not only haunted her days to a limited extent but also her nights.”

He added that the victim said she “does not want vengeance but for you to take responsibility and acknowledge what you have done.”

Fuge, of Poulton Road, Wallasey, had been convicted of 12 offences of indecent assault, one rape and two of indecency with a child.

He was cleared of one offence of indecent assault.

When quizzed by police after the allegations emerged Fuge said his sex life had suffered after his wife became ill.

In her impact statement the complainant said she had cried with relief at the jury’s verdicts and refused to see herself as a victim: “I would just like him to take responsibility for what he did and say sorry.” 

Martine Snowdon, defending, said Fuge's wife of more than 50 years is still supportive of him and he has supported her through various health difficulties.

He himself is in remission from cancer and suffers from asthma she said, asking the judge to give him “room for hope.”

The judge imposed an extra year’s licence as he is classed as a person of particular concern and he ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.