Paedophile who was ‘hell-bent’ on abusing young girl jailed for 12 years

47-year-old sentenced after putting victim ‘through hell’

A paedophile – described by a deemster as a ‘narcissist’ who would ‘do anything he can to get his way’ – has been jailed for 12 years.

Andrew Christian Godding, formerly of Richmond Close in Douglas, was convicted of eight sexual offences against a child after a trial in July.

Jurors found him guilty of two counts of indecent assault, three of gross indecency, two of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 16 and one of buggery.

At Douglas Courthouse today the 47-year-old was told he’d put his victim, who was 13 when the offending started, ‘through hell’.

"I felt out of control and like my life was out of control" - Victim

Godding had been friends with her mother and had started abusing the girl in 2016 – convincing her that the duo, who had a 29-year age gap, were in a relationship.

The court heard unprotected sexual intercourse was repeated ‘at every available opportunity’ over a two-year period; often when the teenager’s mother and brother were in the house.

The victim, who is now 18 and no longer lives on the Isle of Man, read her Victim Impact Statement to the court in which she described how her life had spun ‘out of control’ as a result of his actions.

“I don’t know what a normal relationship is,” she said. “I was a young person with a young mind,” adding: “Because of Andy I lost my childhood.”

“These offences represent a calamitous fall from grace” – Ian Kemode (Advocate)

Godding’s advocate said the former bank worker now accepted his guilt telling the court: “He has shall we say, at one minute to midnight, admitted that she was telling the truth and he was not.”

Sentencing Godding to 12 years in prison, and imposing an extended licence for four years, Deemster Sandeep Kainth told him: “You were a paedophile who was hell-bent on having sex with a child irrespective of the repercussions.”

“Have I got empathy for you? Absolutely not.” – Deemster Sandeep Kainth

Godding will be on the Sex Offenders Register, and under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, indefinitely.

Wishing the victim the ‘best of luck’ in her future Deemster Kainth told the court: “She is not to blame under any circumstances.”